Secrets Revealed
by strikien
Summary: Sequel to Secret Admirer
1. Their Daughter's Secret

A/N: Hey everyone! I'm sorry it took long for me to post the sequel. I wanted to finish the whole story first before posting a chapter. Well it's not yet finish, I'm stuck with chapter 8. I think this story will have 12 chapters. Honestly, I'm excited to share the rest of the chapters immediately but if I do that I might pressure myself to rushed the whole story and loose interest eventually. That's what happened when I was writing Secret admirer, I gave myself a deadline of 1 chapter per week (stupid me). Anyways, this story is a bit serious, quite humorous and probably ridiculous.

**Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM.**

* * *

**THEIR DAUGHTER'S SECRET**

* * *

**_For sixteen years, I had lived my life without her existence. But now, a day without her presence seems unbearable. I have never wanted, needed anyone so badly. She is my happiness, _**

**_the meaning and purpose of my life. But to have her, will bring disgrace to my family. My life had been planned ahead for me and I decided to simply follow it. However, I do not know if I _**

**_would be able to survive a life without my reason for living. Yumi is my love, my life. Now that she hates me, I feel like dying with _**

**_this loneliness._**

—0—

It has been a week since Sachiko's grandmother passed away. Sachiko and her mother were back to the Ogasawara Mansion. Early that evening, a very bothered Sayako ran to her husband's study room.

"Sayako, what's wrong? You look depress?"

Touro worriedly asked when he saw his wife entered the room slightly trembling. Sayako ran into his arms and started crying uncontrollably.

"Tell me, why are you crying?"

Surprised by his wife's behavior, Touro didn't know what to do. He had never seen his wife cry before. Even at the time when his wife found out about his numerous mistresses, Sayako never shed a tear in front of him. Touro could only think of one reason that can make his wife this upset. It could only be about their daughter, Sachiko.

"Touro read this. The butler gave this to me this morning. I believe Sachiko wrote this during that time when she was not eating for days."

Sayako spoke in a shaky voice. She has been holding back her tears the whole day but when she saw her husband, she was not able to control her emotion anymore.

Touro read the letter his wife handed him. Shock, fear, confusion and some other emotions were what he felt after reading it.

"Touro, what are we going to do? I can't believe we almost lost her."

"I had no idea that our daughter is going through such pain. How could she think that our family's name is more important than her own happiness? We have to talk to her."

—0—

"You called for me, Father?"

The butler knocked on Sachiko's room and told her that her father wanted to see her immediately.

"Yes, please sit down Sachiko. There's something we need to talk to you about."

The man of the house calmly said.

Sachiko felt that there was something different with the way her parents were acting. They looked quite tense, even nervous. As is they were going to say that they are going to have a divorce and were afraid of their daughter's reaction. Sachiko had thought of that idea several times before but she knew that even though her father has a lot of mistresses, he would never leave his family for another woman. And besides, filing a divorce would bring disgrace to their family's name, something Touro would never do.

"Sachiko dear, you know we love you right? We want what's best for you and that is your happiness."  
Sayako lovingly said as she held her daughter's hand tenderly.

"Mother, I don't understand what you're trying to say. Does this have anything to do with my marriage to Suguru? Do you plan to get us married earlier than the planned date?"

Sachiko asked with teary eyes and a worried tone. Her eyes met her father's gaze. She flashed him a questioning look. Her face was sad but pleading to hear an answer.

"N-No, no. Of course not. "

The honorable man stammered for the first time in his life. He was nervous; afraid to make his daughter more upset.

"But you're right. This is about your engagement. Sachiko, we have been thinking…"

He paused momentarily to glance at his wife's face for reassurance. Then turned his gaze back to his daughter's beautiful face and resumed speaking.

"It's not fair for you to marry Suguru for our company's sake. So we want you to know that it is REALLY alright if you don't want to marry him."

Sachiko was speechless as she stared at his father intently. Her face lit up incredibly, creating a radiant glow and her gorgeous sapphire eyes slightly widened upon hearing those words. She was like a prisoner who was sentenced to die but received a parole at the day of his execution. That was what she felt now that her father has given her his permission to escape a marriage that she considers more of a prison.

"Sachiko, you can love whoever you want and we will support you. Rich or poor, he or sh… WE don't care as long as you're happy. Right, Touro?"

Sayako added hurriedly then turned to look at her husband's face. Her eyes demanding him to say his approval.

"Yes definitely. Whoever you choose doesn't matter, your happiness is what matters most."

Sachiko remained silent as her parents continued staring at her, waiting for her reaction.

Not completely believing that she was not dreaming, Sachiko asked the first thing that came to her mind.

"Does grandfather know about this?"

She will not be convince or excited about the news unless it includes the approval of the head of the family.

"Yes, and he agrees with us. You know how much your grandfather loves you. He will do anything to make you happy."

Touro reassured as he gazed into his daughter's blue orbs. For the first time in his life, Touro felt so desperate. He will say and do anything to convince his daughter.

"I see. You noticed that I don't want to marry Suguru. Thank you for letting me informing me that I don't have to. And I'm glad to know that I have your support with whoever I choose to love."

Sachiko said gratefully then exited the room with a satisfied smile plastered on her face.

"Do you think that what we did was enough? Shouldn't we ask her to see a psychiatrist?"

Sayako asked worriedly.

"For now that's enough. We'll just have to keep an eye on her from now on."

Touro confidently said. He is optimistic that his daughter will be alright.

—0—

After that conversation, Sachiko returned to her room. She was so overwhelmed with the news. Everything happened unexpectedly. She didn't think any of this would happen, didn't she? (Maybe not)

"Fu fu fu…I can't believe everything is working perfectly according to plan."

Sachiko is lying on her bed, giggling uncontrollably. Amazed by everything happening, she cheerfully recalled what happened last week.

Last week…

Sachiko was in her grandmother's house. Yumi had just left after seeing that Sachiko was already feeling well.

'I can't believe I told her I love her. It felt so good saying those words. But I don't think she clearly understood what I meant. I mean, I almost starved myself to death just by thinking she hates me. If she leaves me, I would surely die.'

Sachiko thought emotionally.

'When she kissed my hand, I felt something so hard to explain. It was an overwhelming feeling I want to experience again and again. I want to feel her lips not just in my hand, but in every part of my body just as much as I want to kiss every inch of her.'

Sachiko mused as she raised her hand and placed her lips on the spot that Yumi kissed affectionately.

Finally! Sachiko has admitted to herself that she is in love with her seour. She has been fighting this emotion for more than a year and now she has finally surrendered. There's a saying that, "You will never know what you have until it's gone" and that is what she realized when she thought she lost Yumi.

'I need Yumi. She's the only one who makes me happy. I just got to have her but first, I have to cancel my engagement to that gay cousin of mine. How would my family react if they find out that their precious princess is in love with a woman?'

Sachiko felt fear at the thought that her family might take her away from Yumi if they found out the truth. She cannot take that risk.

After a few days, Sachiko couldn't take it anymore. She wants to love Yumi freely but her fear of her family was preventing her from doing so. It was becoming harder for her to see Yumi everyday and not be carried away by her feelings.

' They cannot force me to marry Suguru. I would rather die than marry him. Would they rather have a death daughter than a gay one?'

As soon as that question came to mind, an idea popped to her head like a light bulb switched on.

'That's it!'

So, Sachiko wrote a letter that could be interpreted as a suicide letter but technically it's not because she never mentioned anything about killing herself. It was more of a depression letter wherein she poured all the emotions she felt that time when they had a misunderstanding. She didn't plan to commit suicide. She wants to live a long life with Yumi by her side. The letter was just an experiment to test her family's love for her; to see how they would react if they find out that she's in love with Yumi. If that plan doesn't work in favor for her, then she will think of another way.

'Now I have to make sure that Mother will get to read this.'

So Sachiko put the letter inside her uniform's brest pocket. She knew that before the maids wash their clothes, their butler checks first if there was anything left inside the clothing.

The butler did find the letter. He was not able to read any part of it though because it was neatly folded. He handed it to Sayako like what he usually does.

Sayako almost fainted after reading it. She didn't know what to do. It was too much for her to handle alone so she waited for her husband to arrive.

Sachiko's grandfather entered Touro's study room and caught Sayako hysterically crying and his son Touro comforting her. The couple hesitantly handed the letter to the old man. They were fearing his reaction.

The old man almost had a heart attack after reading it. Not because he found out that his beloved daughter is gay, but because of the thought that he almost lost Sachiko. He loves Sachiko so much he would do anything for her.

"This Yumi,.. Bring her here. I want to talk to her. I will convince her not to leave Sachiko. I'll give her anything she wants no matter the cost."

The old man seriously said.

"Father, I don't think that's necessary. What Sachiko needs is our support. Let's give her a chance to pursue her love in her own way."

Touro said. He was very surprised that his father was very supportive of this.

—0—

A knock on the door, cut Sachiko's musing.

"Yes, what is it?"

Sachiko said when the butler came in.

"Excuse me Miss Sachiko. This is about your uniform. I forgot to check it before sending it to the laundry. The maid found a piece of paper inside its pocket. However, it was completely soaked and damaged. Please forgive me for my incompetence."

The butler said whilst bowing.

"It's alright. It was nothing important. Throw it away for me, please."

Sachiko said casually.

"Yes, Miss. I'll take care of it."

And with a slight bow, the butler excuse himself.

'Just as I expected. Mother ordered him to tell me those things so I wouldn't suspect that she found it.'

Sachiko thought with a smile.

'The first part of my plan worked flawlessly. Tomorrow, I can start pursuing Yumi.'

With her heart filled with excitement and determination, it might become hard for the princess to sleep tonight.

_To be continued..._

_

* * *

A/N: _That's chapter 1. I know it's a bit odd. I was actually having second thoughts on posting this chapter but I couldn't think of any other original way to end their engagement. I'll try to post a new chapter every week. They are still on scratch paper and I need to reread it. Goodbye for now_.  
_


	2. Sudden Change

A/N: On the first chapter, I made a mistake because I started the story with, 'It has been a month' it should have been week not month. The time-line of this story is important because I'm trying to match it with that of the novel. Anyway, thank you for the reviews.

**Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM**(but I'm sure you already know that)**.**

* * *

**Sudden Change**

* * *

"Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis en bouton."

Gokigenyou, Yumi-sama."

"Gokigenyou, to you too.

Yumi was greeted by every student she passed by and as usual, she returned their greeting with her charming smile. She was walking towards the school building when a familiar voice called from behind.

"Good morning Yumi."

Before Yumi could have turned around, a smooth slender arm wrapped protectively around her neck as another arm possessively hugged her waist.

Yumi's heart momentarily stopped beating and goosebumps appeared all over her body when she realized that the person behind her was embracing her affectionately in front of many students. Normally, she would freak out in this kind of situation and make those dinosaur noises she usually makes whenever Sei-sama jumps on her. However, her body seemed to have been enjoying that moment so it didn't make any resistance.

Having shut herself in the dark recesses of her mind for a moment, she didn't understand what was happening, or more like she couldn't believe it was happening.

"Uh..uh.."

Yumi tried to speak but no words came out.

Every student around them were staring with wide eyes and mouth agape. Nothing could be heard except the clicking sound of Tsutako's camera. This scene will be featured on the next issue of Lillian Kawabaran for sure.

"We should get going. We wouldn't want to be late for class now, would we?"

The said person whispered huskily in Yumi's ears which sent shivers into the smaller girl's spine. All Yumi could do was nod and let herself be dragged by this person. Unable to recover from that ambush embrace, she didn't notice that they were already standing outside her class. She came back to her senses when the said person begun to speak.

"Yumi, I'll see you at lunch, alright?"

Yumi was struggling for something to say in response but was beaten when the person she was talking to suddenly kissed her on the cheek. A very lingering, affectionate kiss that left Yumi frozen in place as the kisser walked away smiling.

"Whoa! Did you see that?"

I can't believe Rosa Chinensis is a very affectionate person."

"Yeah, she's so sweet!"

Not even the enthusiastic voices of her classmates managed to bring Yumi back to reality.

"Sachiko-sama is in a great mood today', isn't she?"

Standing behind Yumi was her friend Shimazu Yoshino who also witnessed the whole scene and was surprised by Sachiko's behavior.

"Oneesama?"

Yumi murmured subconsciously. She has not yet recovered from her dreamy state.

"Hey Yumi-san, stop dawdling!"

Seeing that her friend was still in total shock and might probably faint any minute, Yoshino dragged Yumi into class to prevent further embarrassment.

Classes went on with Yumi staring blankly at their teacher. She was looking but not seeing, hearing but not understanding any of the lesson that was being discussed. Her mind was entirely focused on finding the perfect explanation for her Oneesama's surprising behavior.

"Yumi-san, classes has ended. Do you plan to stay here all day?"

Indeed classes had ended and they were the only ones left. Yumi was so caught up with her thoughts that she did not notice that it was already lunch time.

"Yoshino-san, why?"

Yumi asked with great confusion written on her face.

Yoshino who was expecting Yumi to stand up and walk with her to the Rose Mansion took the seat beside Yumi.

"Why, what?"

"Why do you think Oneesama kissed me?"

Yumi was hoping that her friend's opinion would somehow enlighten her.

"What date is it today? I cannot think of any other reason why Oneesama would do such a thing unless it's my birthday and I totally forgot about it. It's not my birthday today, is it?"

Yumi rambled and her voice turned into a panic tone at the thought that she had forgotten her own birthday.

"First of all, I do not know your birth date and secondly, I don't think you are that old to forget your own birthday, Yumi-san."

Yoshino said teasingly.

"Don't be so surprised. It is only normal for seours to show affection every once in a while. Rei-chan and I do it all the time, so it's no big deal."

Rei and Yoshino's relationship is full of hugs and kisses so Yoshino thinks that it is only natural for other seour relationship to have the same gestures. But the Foetida sisters' closeness was mainly because of the fact that they are cousins who grew up together.

"But—"

Yumi tried to point that out but Yoshino cut in.

"Stop complaining Yumi-san. Sachiko-sama would be offended if she finds out that you are bothered by her loving gestures."

"I'm not complaining. I'm just—"

"Aha! So you do like it."

"I...uhm...well..."

Yumi's face flamed. She honestly did not know the answer. She did not mind the gesture. In fact, she loved it . It was just so uncharacteristic of Sachiko to do such a thing especially in public.

"You don't have to answer that. Your face says it all"

Yoshino said smiling when she noticed that Yumi's face was going through one of those life phases again.

"It's just a simple kiss, don't think much about it. Now can we go, please? I'm starving!"

The braided girl complained.

—0—

Lunch at the Rose Mansion was uneventful. The members of the Yamayurikai council ate their meal while having a casual conversation. Yumi secretly observed her Oneesama. Sachiko didn't act differently. She was the usual elegant, firm and proper lady (not that Yumi was expecting her Oneesama to grope her in front of their friends).

Yumi couldn't help but blush everytime Sachiko caught her gazze. She wondered if Sachiko had read her thoughts. It would surely embarrass her if her Oneesama finds out what she was thinking. Even though it has been almost a year since they have become seours, she still finds Sachiko unpredictable so she couldn't ask her directly about the latter's earlier behavior.

'Oneesama doesn't seem bothered by it. Yoshino's right, I shouldn't think much about it.'

Was Yumi's thought.

"Oneesama can I have that?"

Yoshino said with her sweetest voice, her index finger was pointing directly at Rei's lunchbox. When she said "that", she was referring to one of Rei's fried chicken.

"Sure."

"Thanks Rei-chan, you're the best!"

With a smile, Rei transferred a fried chicken into Yoshino's lunchbox using her chopstick.

"Rei-sama's cooking must be so good that Yoshino-sama couldn't get enough of it."

Noriko commented.

"No, that's not the case. You see, the side effect of her operation is...it gave her a bigger appetite."

Rei teasingly said and Yoshino's face reddened. Everyone started laughing when Yoshino protested and glared at her cousin.

Amidst the laughter, Yumi met Sachiko's gaze. Sachiko stopped laughing but a charming smile remained on her lips. She held her gaze on Yumi's eyes as Yumi's gaze was locked on her and then...

"..."

Just like what happened that morning, Yumi's heart momentarily stopped beaating. Her mind was having a hard time judging whether what she saw was real or not. Were her eyes playing tricks on her?

'Did Oneesama just...winked at me?'

Yumi blinked twice as her gaze remained on Sachiko's direction although Sachiko had already turned her attention back to her meal.

'First was the ambush embrace, then the surprising kiss and now... a playful wink? Oneesama is behaving like Sei-sama. No! This can't be happening!"

At that thought, Yumi shook her head from side to side.

"Yumi are you alright?"

Yumi opened her eyes and realized that she had caught everyone's attention. Her friends were looking at her with concern.

"I-It's nothing. My head is aching just a bit."

She forced a smile. Her Oneesama's strange behavior was making her feel dizzy.

"Yumi-san you're flushing. Do you have a fever?"

Shimako asked.

Sachiko who was sitting next to Yumi, lightly tapped Yumi on the forehead.

"Oneesama, I'm fine. Really."

Yumi gently removed Sachiko's hand from her forehead. Her Oneesama's touch made her face redder.

"If you're not feeling well, I can take you to the clinic."

"There's no need Oneesama. I'm alright. I think it's just the warm weather that's making me feel hot."

Yumi was never good when it comes to lying; her transparent face always betrays her. But she couldn't possibly say the truth. She couldn't say, "Oneesama your weird behavior is making my head hurt and your seductive eyes are making my blood rush into my face". That statement might shock her Oneesama. Thankfully, Sachiko didn't press on the topic further. She just advice Yumi to drink plenty of water to keep her body hydrated.

—0—

That day was full of surprises for Yumi. From morning to lunch and even in the afternoon in the Rose Mansion where her Oneesama was overly sweet to her. Sweet in the sense that Sachiko had been smiling to her all the time and her voice never sounded neither cold nor strict. There was something different about her Oneesama that she couldn't pin point. But even though Sachiko had been acting like a completely different person, a part of Yumi was thrilled. She was enjoying the attention Sachiko was exclusively giving her.

—0—

Just when she thought that surprises were over as the day was about to end, Yumi opened her shoe locker and something interesting caught her eyes. There, inside the locker, on top of her outdoor shoes was a piece of paper. It was horizontally folded and when she was about to unfold it to see what was written, a voice called her.

"Yumi, shall we go now?"

Sachiko was standing behind her. She was already wearing her outdoor shoes.

"Just a minute Oneesama. I'll change my shoes now."

Yumi said as she quickly put the paper on her bag, planning to read it at home.

—0—

Upon arriving home, Yumi had completely forgotten about the paper probably because Sachiko kissed her again on the cheek after bidding goodbye so her mind went blank again for a couple of hours. She just remembered about the paper when she opened her bag and took out her notes. The paper was a typical stationary paper. She unfolded it and was surprised by its content.

—0—

**_Y_**_ou brighten my day like the morning sun._

**_S_**_eeing you everyday fulfills my daily plan._****

**_M_**_y heart was thrilled when I met you_

**_A_**_nd now , my mind is filled by thoughts of you._

—0—

'Is this really for me? I wonder to whom it's from?'

Yumi is aware of her growing popularity as Rosa Chinensis en bouton and she heard that she has a lot of fans but she never took it seriously. The poem was probably from one of them. She remembered last year when she was just one of Sachiko's fan. She used to write poems about her admiration for the most prominent girl in school. Who would have thought that her idol would noticed her? Even she, herself still finds it hard to believe. Yumi wants to meet the person behind this poem because she can relate to her. She knows what it feels to be a fan because she herself had been a fan. She wants this person to experience how great it feels to know that the person she admires is aware of her existence.

* * *

A/N: I know you were expecting Sachiko to confess in this chapter, sorry to disappoint you but that won't happen any time soon. Maybe on the fifth or sixth chapter. About the short poem, Yumi will receive more of that and she will wonder who's sending them. You are free to guess but I won't confirm anything.


	3. Opinions and Explanations

Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM

* * *

**Opinions and Explanations**

* * *

It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining brightly; the trees were swaying gently through the breeze as few leaves were falling.

The raven-haired heiress was silently sitting in the bus, looking outside behind the window pane.

'What a beautiful morning. And it would be more beautiful if she's here.'

Sachiko mused cheerfully. She has always been weak in the mornings but ever since she met Yumi, she has become energetic despite her low blood pressure. Sachiko has become more eager to go to school because she looks forward to see Yumi.

"Oneesama, Gokigenyou."

Just like an answered prayer, she turned her gaze forward and saw the person she is always excited to see. Yumi was smiling at her brightly then sat beside her. A gigantic smile appeared on Sachiko's face as she greeted Yumi back then she leaned her face closer and kissed Yumi's cheek. Even though it had been the third time that it happened, Yumi was still unable to react.

'Oneesama is still acting the way she did yesterday.'

Was the blushing girl's thought.

"Yumi, it's such a coincidence that we are going to school together this morning, don't you think?"

"Y-Yes Oneesama."

Yumi answered shyly as her loving Oneesama gently fixed her perfectly fixed ribbons.

'Yumi you're so cute when you're blushing. It makes me want to tease you more.'

Sachiko thought with a wicked grin.

Sachiko was well aware that her new behavior was affecting Yumi. In fact, she's doing it on purpose to see Yumi's reaction. She's not holding back herself anymore and she wanted Yumi to get use to it.

"Yumi, I'm still quite sleepy. Do you mind if I take a nap?"

'Sleepy? But she looked so energetic just a while ago!'

"Okay."

Yumi said. She was expecting Sachiko to close her eyes and immediately fall asleep but instead, her Oneesama surprised her again for the nth time by laying her head on Yumi's shoulder. When Sachiko asked if it was alright if she takes a nap, Yumi didn't know that her Oneesama was asking permission to use her shoulder as a pillow so she could comfortably take a nap. It was a bit embarrassing considering that there were a lot of Lillian students in the bus and most of them were probably looking at the Chinensis sisters. Yumi was feeling conscious of what they were thinking about her and Sachiko.

'Mmm... You smell so good. But why are you so tense? Do you not like it when I'm this close?'

Sachiko mused as she pretended to be asleep.

—0—

"Thank you."

Sachiko gratefully said when Yumi handed her a cup of tea. Because it was still early, they decided to go to the Rose Mansion first before heading for class. There was an awkward silence as the only two inhabitants of the room gently sipped their tea.

"Oneesama..."

Yumi started, breaking the silence. She couldn't take it anymore. She desperately wanted to know why her Oneesama was behaving that way. She continued speaking when Sachiko turned to face her.

"Has something...good happened?"

"What do you mean?"

Sachiko asked innocently.

"You seem to be in a great mood since yesterday and well...is that why you k-kissed me?"

Yumi asked hesitantly. Her face was flushing as she said this.

"Oh that. I'm just bored with the usual Gokigenyou greeting. I wanted to try something new for a change."

She casually said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think you would mind. I should have asked first if it was alright."

She added.

"No! I mean I don't mind. It was just very surprising. I guess I'm just not used to it. There's no need to apologize Oneesama."

Yumi quickly explained, hoping that she would not be misunderstood.

"Really? You know, you're the one who started this so I thought this is what you wanted. And I realized I wanted it too so I don't mind giving it to you."

Yumi was stunned by Sachiko's statement. What was her Oneesama talking about?

Seeing the confusion on her beloved's face, Sachiko felt a bit guilty. But that guilt was not enough to stop Sachiko from teasing Yumi further.

With her eyes still holding Yumi's gaze, she reached for Yumi's hand and lifted it up and brought it to her lips. It was exactly how Yumi kissed her hand that day in her grandmother's house.

Yumi's eyes widened upon realization.

"I thought you wanted my affection. I thought you might like more skin-ship. Have I made the wrong assumption?"

Sachiko asked with a smile, her hand still holding Yumi's.

"Oneesama, of course I want your affection. I don't mind the skin-ship either. I was just surprised when you kissed me in front of other students."

"Is that so? Fine, I won't do it again."

Sachiko said in a straight face then she immediately let go of Yumi's hand.

Yumi wanted to hit herself hard on the head. She regretted having this conversation with Sachiko. Now she will not receive any of her Oneesama's sweet kisses anymore.

"I won't do it again in public."

Before Yumi could have reacted to that statement, Sachiko quickly leaned and kissed the smaller girl's cheek then flashed a mischievous smile.

Yumi shut her mouth and went back to sipping her tea. Her heart was throbbing and her legs were wobbling. She was still confused about her Oneesama's behavior but she didn't want to continue the discussion. She was afraid that if she makes any more comment, Sachiko might not kiss her again.

—0—

"Yumi-san, you're not even listening!"

"W-What? Sorry Yoshino-san."

Yumi said apologetically to her friend who was glaring at her furiously.

She tried to focus on their conversation but her mind was always drifting.

"Yumi-san, you seem to be in deep thought. Is something bothering you?"

Yumi's intelligent, angelic and beautiful friend Shimako asked. Sitting beside Shimako was her seour Noriko who also looked at Yumi with concern.

"Don't tell me you're still thinking about that? I told you, it's no big deal."

Yoshino didn't have to ask what Yumi was thinking. She was sure it has something to do with Sachiko. She knows her friend so well.

"I still don't get it. Oneesama's sudden change is unexplainable."

"I also noticed it. Sachiko-sama is always smiling and exceptionally sweet to you. But aside from that, she's the usual. "

Noriko commented.

"Yes and she's acting like..."

"Like Sei-sama?"

Yoshino helped Yumi finished the sentence.

"Yes exactly! She's acting like Sei-sama...but in a fashionable way. What could be the explanation for that?"

Although Yumi was pleased by Sachiko's new behavior, she couldn't help but be worried for her Oneesama. She was determined to find out the truth behind Oneesama's actions.

"I can think of a few reasons why Sachiko-sama is acting like that."

Yoshino said seriously that gained everyone's attention.

"I'm not that certain. However, there is a slight possibility. This may sound surprising but I think..."

Yumi held her breath as she listened to her friend's opinion.

"...I think Sachiko-sama is being possessed by Sei-sama's spirit or maybe she really is Sei-sama disguised as Sachiko-sama so she can freely grope you."

Yumi felt disappointed as Yoshino was obviously fooling around.

"Yoshino-sama, I think the books you're reading are getting into your head."

Noriko said in between laughter. Yumi didn't laugh with them. She was frowning, disappointed that her friends were not taking her seriously.

"Do you think it's possible that she is experiencing what Sei-sama had gone through after loosing Shiori?"

Yoshino said seriously when she noticed Yumi sulking.

"What do you mean?"

"We know that Sei-sama like Sachiko-sama used to be a person who kept herself distant from everyone else, right? She opened herself only to Shiori and when she lost Shiori, she became depress. After that depression she became a totally new person. She became livelier but behind her playful personality we know she is not completely happy. A part of her is still grieving for her lost love."

Yoshino explained and everyone was in deep thought.

"You mean Oneesama is just pretending to be happy but in truth she is still grieving for her grandmother's death?"

"Who knows?"

"Yumi-san, maybe Sachiko-same is till sad and your presence is the only thing that comforts her. I suggest that you stay with her all the time."

Shimako wisely advice.

"Just be thankful that Sachiko-sama didn't turn out completely like Sei-sama because if that's the case, she would be groping other else s petite seour."

Yoshino teasingly said. Yumi's color drained when she imagined her Oneesama flirting with Noriko or any other underclassman. Yumi is not like Shimako who can handle having a flirty Oneesama like Sei. Fear crept through her mind when she imagined Sachiko being affectionate with Touko.

Yumi was not fully satisfied with her friends' opinions but she has decided to follow Shimako's advice. She will stay by Sachiko's side and gladly receive whatever affection her Oneesama will give.

—0—

Like what happened yesterday, Yumi again found a piece of paper inside her shoebox. She hastily put it inside to prevent Yoshino from seeing it. She knew her friend would tease her about it if she finds out.

As soon as she arrived home, she excitedly unfolded it. She was not surprised to see that it was another poem.

—0—

**_U_**_nforgettably sweet is the sound of your voice._

**_A_**_nd I'd spend my day hearing it, if I have a choice._

**_I_**_ couldn't help but stare and be mesmerized,_

**_N_**_othing can compare to your lovely eyes_**_._**

If only her mind was not fully occupied by thoughts of her Oneesama, Yumi would have probably started searching for this mysterious writer.

—0—

The next morning...

'Ah, there she is!'

A cheerful smile appeared on Sachiko's face. She was standing by the windowsill of the Rose Mansion, looking outside when she spotted Yumi approaching.

Her heart started beating at an immeasurable speed thinking that they will be alone there that morning. The other council members were busy with their respective club activities. But her excitement was interrupted when she noticed a very disturbing sight. She carefully observed to be sure.

'Why is that girl following Yumi?'

A tall girl with long raven hair was peeking behind a tree. Her gaze was following Yumi as the pig-tailed girl was walking towards the Mansion.

'That girl looks suspicious.'

Sachiko eyed the girl intently. She didn't like the way she was looking at Yumi. Sachiko wanted to go down and confront the girl and tell her that it's rude to stalk people around.

'I'm the only one who has the right to stalk Yumi.'

"Oneesama, Gokigenyou."

Her boiling temper was instantly cooled down when she heard that sweet, adorable voice of her one and only. She readied a smile and turned around to greet her love.

"Hi there."

Sachiko said with a sweet smile as she strides towards Yumi and kissed the smaller girl's forehead. Yumi was not shocked anymore by this kind of greeting from her Oneesama. She told herself that she will try to get use to it (not that she's complaining). With a slight tinge of crimson on her cheeks, Yumi was about to proceed to the cupboard to prepare tea when Sachiko halted her.

"Yumi just take your seat. I'll prepare tea for us."

"But-"

"I want to pamper you once in a while so please indulge me."

With that kind of reasoning, how could Yumi argue? Her Oneesama's words have the same heart-throbbing effect Yumi experiences whenever Sachiko kisses her.

As Sachiko busies herself pouring hot water from the kettle to the teapot, her lips twitched and formed a wicked smile.

"So Yumi, what do you want? Coffee... tea... or...ME?"

She playfully asked. She turned around expecting to see the stammering or blushing reaction from Yumi but was disappointed when she didn't get any.

"Pardon?"

Yumi asked when Sachiko turned to face her. Apparently, she was so captivated by her Oneesama's earlier words so she didn't hear what Sachiko had just said.

"Ah, nothing."

With a heavy sigh, she resumed her task.

—0—

The tea was bitter compared to Yumi's preference but she didn't complain. In her opinion, it was the most delicious tea she had ever tasted. After all, her Oneesama made it just for her and for her only.

'I wonder if it suits her taste.'

Sachiko thought worriedly as she gazed down at Yumi who was sitting next to her. Her worry quickly faded when a smile appeared on Yumi's lips after taking a sip. She was clearly satisfied and Sachiko was glad to see it.

Sachiko continued staring at Yumi's face then her eyes settled on the girl's lips. Her gaze followed as the girl placed her lips on rim of the cup to take another sip.

'I wish I'm that cup.'

It might sound foolish but Sachiko suddenly felt envious over a teacup. She continued staring with dreamy eyes.

'Her lips look soft and inviting. They look delectable, so delicious and so...'

Yumi felt her Oneesama's gaze. She glanced up and saw Sachiko looking at her with hungry eyes. She had to call her to get her attention.

"Oneesama?"

"Yes Yummy?...Ahh...Yumi?"

Sachiko was so caught up with her train of thoughts so she accidentally blurted out what she was thinking.

She saw Yumi's eyes widened, indicating that the girl clearly heard what she said. Sachiko felt her face flushing with embarrassment but she bravely met Yumi's gaze, waiting for her next reaction.

Yumi unexpectedly stood up and walked towards the cupboard. When returned to the table, she was carrying a plate with cookies on top of tissues. Obviously, the girl assumed her big sister was hungry and was craving for something to eat. Her judgment was based from her own experience considering that she's the type of person who subconsciously blurts out things related to food whenever she's hungry.

'I should have immediately served cookies while she was preparing tea. I'm such a useless little sister.'

Was Yumi's thought.

'How sweet. But I'm not craving for cookies... I'm craving for you.'

Sachiko playfully mused as she picked up a cookie and smiled gratefully.

_To be continued..._


	4. The Kiss

A/N: I'm glad you found the previous chapters entertaining to read. Well, I did tell you that Sachiko is crazy in this story. I'm still having fun with her craziness so I won't bring some sanity back to her character yet. I realized that it is easier for me to write something funny than something serious.

**Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM**

* * *

**The Kiss  
**

* * *

"Rei, if you have something to say, spill it out."

Sachiko said a bit irritated when she noticed her friend staring at her with a goofy expression.

"I'm just amazed of how much you've changed. You're getting good at expressing your feelings for Yumi-chan."

Sachiko was caught off-guard. She didn't expect her friend was aware of her feelings for Yumi. Somehow it didn't bother her that Rei knows. After all, Reis is her dear friend so she deserves to know.

"Yes, I'm tired of holding back my feelings for her. At first I thought I was just possessive of her because she is my seour but then I realized that she means to me more than that."

Sachiko admitted. Rei was happy to see that Sachiko is determined to pursuit her love.

"Yumi-chan is such a special girl. She was able to capture the heart of the famous Ogasawara Sachiko. No wonder a lot of girls are also affected by her charm."

Rei said teasingly.

"What do you mean?"

"She is becoming popular with the first years. In fact, there's a freshman who frequently goes here to help cleaning. I think she really likes Yumi-chan."

Sachiko's eyes turned in slits after hearing this. She was aware of Yumi's popularity but what made her blood boil was the information that there's a fan-girl who goes to the Rose Mansion just to flirt with Yumi.

"Who is this girl? What does she look like?"  
"I don't know her name but she is easy to recognize. She is very tall with long black hair."

Sachiko quickly remembered the girl who stalking Yumi.

"Maybe she wants to Yumi-chan's petite seour?"

Rei commented but Sachiko remained silent. She had a bad feeling about that girl. She also wondered why Yumi never mentioned anything about her.

—0—

Classes had just ended when Sachiko glanced outside the window of their classroom and saw "Yumi's stalker" walking on the school ground. She quickly went out the school building in a brisk walk and caught up with the girl.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Sachiko said when she approached the girl. She looked like a wife confronting her husband's mistress.

The girl didn't flinch despite Sachiko's death glare. She just nodded and silently followed her senior.

"What do you want with my seour?"

Sachiko said without preamble as soon as they entered the old greenhouse.

"I heard that you frequently visit Yumi in the Mansion and I saw you yesterday following her. Why do you have to follow her around like a stalker?"

Sachiko continued.

After a moment, the girl looked at her straight in the eyes.

"I like Yumi-sama. She is sweet, honest and kind. I can't help myself from wanting to be close with her."  
The girl said in an honest expression.

"You want to be close to her? Does that mean you want to be her seour?"  
"No, my ambition is far greater than that."

The younger girl's lips formed a wicked smile.

"I want to be her girlfriend. Yumi-sama is so pure and innocent. I do not want her to be dirtied by any man. I would rather have her for myself."

Sachiko was surprised by this girl's boldness. She didn't expect her to easily admit her true intention.

"And do you think Yumi would want that kind of relationship with you?"

Sachiko asked as she raised one of her perfectly arched eyebrows.

"Yumi-sama is kind and open-minded. She will love back anyone who will love her unconditionally."

The girl replied stubbornly.

Sachiko force herself to remain calm. She reminded herself of her position as Rosa Chinensis.

"Hasn't it crossed your mind that maybe Yumi already has someone special, someone dear to her, someone...like me?"

She asked calmly but with murderous eyes.

"I know what you are to Yumi-sama. I don't care whether you're in a relationship or not. Soon you will graduate and leave her. And I also know that you are already engage. Would you choose her over your family's will?"

"You will just break her heart and when that happens, I'll be the one to heal it."  
After that speech, Sachiko sarcastically laughed at her.

"Why are you laughing?"

The girl asked in annoyance and Sachiko turned serious and said...

"I pity you young lady. You expect things to fall according to your wish as if life is that simple. You don't know me well enough to judge what I can and cannot do. Don't underestimate my love for her."

"Listen, Yumi belongs to ME. So it would be best for you if you keep away from her."

Sachiko stated firmly.

"I'm sorry but I cannot take that advice."

"It's not an advice...it's a warning."

Leaving those words, Sachiko walked out the greenhouse.

'Poor girl. Yumi will break her heart...and I'll break her neck if she doesn't stop chasing my future girlfriend.'

Sachiko mused possessively.

—0—

After that heated confrontation, Sachiko realized that she left her bag in her classroom so she went back to get it.

"Oneesama, you're her!"

Yumi exclaimed when she found Sachiko alone inside the latter's classroom. They were supposed to have a meeting that afternoon but because Sachiko hasn't arrived yet, Yumi became worried and started searching for her Oneesama.

"Ah, Yumi. Please close the door."  
Sachiko said as she motioned Yumi to come inside.

"Oneesama, why are you still here?"  
Yumi asked with her concern expression. She noticed that Sachiko looked bothered and unease.

"I just finished writing some notes."

Sachiko said halfheartedly. She didn't want to lie but she was shy to tell Yumi that she confronted a freshman.

'Something feels familiar.'

Yumi thought as she glanced around the room.

'Oh, I remember. This is like that afternoon, when I found Sei-sama alone inside her homeroom. Is Oneesama feeling sad because her graduation is near?'

Yumi suddenly felt sad thinking about her Oneesama's graduation. Sachiko noticed then sudden sad look on Yumi's face and wondered what was wrong.

"Yumi, what's wrong?"

She asked as she cupped Yumi's cheek with her hand.

"Oneesama, please don't worry about your graduation yet. It is still a few months away so don't think about it yet."

Yumi said in teary eyes. She was not yet prepared to face the fact that her Oneesama is leaving so she wanted to avoid that topic as much as possible.

Sachiko was surprised by Yumi's unexpected answer. She tried to suppress a smile but was unable to.

"Yumi how did you come up with that idea? What made you think I was thinking about it now?"

"You're not?"

Yumi asked shyly and Sachiko shook her head. Yumi felt her face flushed with embarrassment for coming up with a conclusion that had no basis.

"B-Because last time, I saw Sei-sama like this and...Well...she was sad because she was leaving this school."  
Yumi stammered.

"Really? And then?"

Sachiko asked curiously.

"I asked her if there was anything I could do for her."  
Yumi subconsciously explained and Sachiko became more intrigued.

"And what did she asked from you?"

At this question, Yumi realized her mistake. She shouldn't have started this topic. She was embarrassed to tell anyone about her gift to Sei but there was no way that she could lie to Sachiko.

"She asked for a k-kiss...Can we go now Oneesama, the meeting has already started."

Yumi nervously said. She wanted to end the topic immediately after revealing her secret gift.

'That dirt old man!" Was Sachiko's thought.

"I'm sure you declined her request. Knowing you, I'm sure you struggled and ran away, right?"

It was more of a statement than a question. Sachiko was confident of Yumi's loyalty to her.

Yumi didn't answer. Unable to meet her Oneesama's gaze, she was fidgeting and blushing.

"Yumi!"

Sachiko's stern voice made Yumi winced.

"I t-thought she was going to a different university and that it was all I could do for her. It was just a farewell kiss on the cheek. There's nothing wrong with that, right Oneesama?"

It was definitely a question rather than a statement and Yumi asked it with so much fear though she didn't know why.

Sachiko felt her body trembling in anger.

'We're not yet in a relationship and you already cheated on me. How could you!'

She thought angrily.

"I need to go. Tell them to postpone the meeting."

She coldly said as she grabbed her bag and passed by Yumi towards the door. She had to run away to clam herself down before she say or do something she would regret after wards.

Yumi was stunned by her Oneesama's sudden change of mood. She sensed that something went wrong; that she had to do something.

"Oneesama!"

Yumi called out desperately. Sachiko who was about to open the door turned around hesitantly to face her seour.

Yumi didn't know what came over her but as soon as Sachiko turned around and she saw that sad and defeated look on her Oneesama's eyes she quickly ran to her. Yumi put her hands on Sachiko's shoulders and leaned up to kiss her on the cheek, extremely close to the lips.

To say that Sachiko was shocked is an understatement. She felt her body frozen yet on fire at same time. Her anger quickly melted along with her heart.

"I'm sorry Oneesama. I didn't know what came over me. Sei-sama asked for a kiss from me to make her feel better. I thought it might also work for you."

Yumi was blushing furiously. She was afraid that Sachiko was not pleased by her action.

Seeing that Yumi was mentally berating herself, Sachiko hugged the girl tightly.

"Yes, it did work for me. Thank you and I hope Yumi will do it again more often."

Sachiko said as she continued to envelop Yumi in a warm embrace. She wanted to confess her feelings right then and there but told herself that it wasn't the right place and time.

—0—

Yumi was in her bedroom. Her heart was beating erratically as she played her Oneesama's words in her head repeatedly.

_"I hope Yumi will do it again more often."_

She could still feel that warm feeling she felt when her lips touched Sachiko's cheek and knowing that she has permission to do it again made her feel ecstatic.

'It feels so nice to be appreciated.'

Then she remembered something that deserves her appreciation.

She opened her bag then pulled out the paper she got inside her shoebox that afternoon.

—0—

**_M_**_any people like me are admiring you secretly._

**_C_**_heerful and sweet you are, no wonder you're so popular._

**_N_**_o one can help but be a fan of this famous young woman._

**_D_**_o I have a chance against your many fans?_

—0—

'Hmmm...This person thinks highly of me.'

Then Yumi remembered the conversation she had with a freshman the other day in the Rose Mansion.

_"Your brother must be jealous of you, Yumi-sama."  
"Jealous?"  
"When you have an older sister who's wise, cute, cheerful and utterly perfect..."  
"A-An older sister who's perfect?"  
"Kanako-chan!"  
"Your most charming trait is that you aren't aware of what a wonderful girl you are Yumi-sama."_

Yumi suspects that Kanako is the one secretly sending her these poems.

_To be continued..._

* * *

_A/N:_Your making me happy with your reviews so I'm updating faster than the usual. I'm now on chapter 10. _  
_


	5. Secret from the Past

A/N: Is it Sachiko or Kanako? Most of you were asking that question. Don't you think it's too early to start guessing? I mean, what about Yoshino or Shimako or Touko? It could even be Sei or the new character mentioned in this chapter. Then again, maybe I'm just saying these things to confuse you :)

**Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM**

* * *

**Secret from the Past**

* * *

"Oneesama, we have no meeting this afternoon, right?"

After having lunch at the Rose Mansion, Yumi and Sachiko were walking towards the school building when Yumi suddenly asked."

"No, we don't. Why?"

"Then it's alright if we don't go there after class?"

"Yes, it's alright. We can go home early if you like."  
Sachiko said smiling. She was excited of what Yumi was about to say.

'Is she going to invite me to their home and introduce me to her family? Maybe she wants us to go to a cafe or to the mall.'

A lot of pleasant possibilities were forming in her head but none of them was closed to what Yumi had in mind.

"I'm going to meet a friend after school so I won't go home yet."

Yumi said nonchalantly, unaware that she had just cruelly crushed her Oneesama's fantasies.

"Oh, I see."  
Was Sachiko's only response. There was a hint of disappointment in her voice but I doubt that her dense seour noticed it.

"Who is this friend?"  
Sachiko asked suspiciously. She didn't want to meddle into Yumi's personal affairs but when she heard the word "friend", the image of Sei-sama instantly pooped to head and the green monster inside of her called jealousy was quickly awakened.

"It's Kei-sama. She is a friend of Sei-sama. I told you about her before. She invited me to come over."

Katou Kei is a Lillian University student. That morning, Yumi bumped into her near the school gates. They chatted for a while and when Yumi asked about Yumiko, Kei said that the old woman had just recovered after a few days of being sick. Yumi was deeply worried after hearing this so Kei said that Yumiko would be happy if Yumi visits her. Yumi agreed and they decided to meet after school.

'I wonder what this Kei looks like and what does she want from Yumi?...Are they going out on a date? Urgh...Yumi's cheating on me again!'

Sachiko's emotion was in turmoil. It was only yesterday when she confronted and threatened one of Yumi's fan-girls and she would do it again to anyone who would dare show any romantic or sexual interest on her precious "property". But if Yumi is also interested to that person then it would be more complicated.

"Oneesama, would you like to come?"

"Pardon?"

Because Sachiko was busy thinking of strategies on how to defeat her new opponent (like sending death threats or hiring an assassin), she didn't hear what Yumi said.

"If you don't have anything important to do, would you like to come with me.?"

Yumi shyly said.

"I thought that you might also want to see Yumiko. I heard that she had been sick so I wanted to visit her."

Yumi trailed off and Sachiko begun processing the information.

'Yumiko? She's my grandmother's dear friend and seour. She is also the landlady of this Kei if I'm not mistaken.'

"Sure, I'll come with you. I would love to visit Yumiko."

She said, smiling brightly. Of course she will come. Aside from her genuine concern for Yumiko's health, she would not miss this opportunity to spy on her new enemy.

—0—

That afternoon, an intelligent-looking woman was standing near the Lillian gates. A brilliant smile appeared on her face when she saw Yumi approaching.

"Gokigenyou, Kei-sama. Thank you for waiting"

Yumi politely greeted.

"It's all right, I have just arrived."

Kei warmly welcomed.

"Kei-sama, I would like you to meet my Oneesama, Ogasawara Sachiko. Oneesama, this is Katou Kei-sama."

Yumi proudly introduced Sachiko who had arrived with her. Sachiko smiled sincerely at the woman. She observed the older woman's appearance.

Kei was fairly tall with black hair that was not as long as hers. She wears eye-glasses which makes her look intelligent and mature. She was an attractive young woman but not as beautiful as Sachiko.

'She looks decent. I don't think she's the type who would try to molest Yumi. Maybe I was just over-reacting.'

Because Kei is a friend of Sei and their names sound alike, somehow Sachiko imagined this woman would act like a dirty old man.

"I am pleased to meet you. Thank you for taking care of my sister. I am truly indebted."

She said politely.

"It is I who is grateful to have met a special girl like her."

Kei boldly said then she winked at Yumi.

This did not go unnoticed by Sachiko's sharp eyes.

'I knew it! This woman cannot be trusted. I shouldn't let my guard down.'

As Sachiko shifts herself back to battle-mode, Yumi began speaking.

"Oneesama also wants to visit Yumiko so she's coming with us."

Yumi said. She was oblivious that her Oneesama and her friend might start a cat-fight.

"Ah, yes. I want to thank her for visiting my grandmother in the hospital."

She was really glad that she had a valid reason to come.

"I'm sure that Yumiko would be glad."

Kei said and they started on their way.

—0—

"Yumi-chan, it is such a pleasant surprise that you visited me and I'm also pleased to see you again Sachiko-san."

Yumiko said after serving tea to her visitors. Earlier that afternoon, she was in her garden, peacefully admiring the flowers when Kei arrived with two beautiful Lillian students. She immediately recognized the pig-tailed girl. When her eyes settled on the taller girl beside Yumi, Yumiko caught her breath. She blinked to make sure that it wasn't just an illusion. Time stood still as she gazed at the beautiful face that she had always admired and loved. Then, she realized that this was not the person from her past but just a perfect carbon copy.

Sachiko greeted her politely and she returned the greeting with a warm smile. She invited them to have tea in her house afterwards.

"I'm sorry for barging into your home without prior notice but I heard that you have been sick and I got worried. How are you feeling?"

Yumi said with concern written on her face.

"You don't need any permission to come here. Both of you are welcome to visit me anytime. And about my sickness, it was just flu and I'm fine now. Thank you for worrying."

Yumiko said and Yumi was relieved.

"It was careless of me to forget my umbrella during a rainy season. Don't follow my example, alright Yumi-chan?"

Yumiko said with a faint laugh.

"Don't worry, I won't."

Yumi answered with humor. Just then, she remembered that day when she and Sachiko had a misunderstanding. She ran in the rain hoping to catch her Oneesama but Sachiko was already inside the car so she couldn't do anything but cry helplessly in the rain. That was when Kei saw her.

"If ever you get in the rain, I wouldn't mind drying your hair for you again."

Kei who was also there having tea, said with a smile and Yumi blushed when she remembered how Kei gently dried her hair using a hair blower.

'The nerve of this woman! Flirting to Yumi in front of me, no less. And what does she mean by 'dry Yumi's hair AGAIN?'

Sachiko thought in anger and confusion as she glanced down at the girl and wondered why the girl was blushing.

After a while of conversation and drinking tea, Yumiko spoke.

"Yumi-chan, do you like flowers?"

"Eh? Yes, I do."

"Would you like to see the flowers in my garden while I have a little chat with your Oneesama?"

Yumiko said smiling. Yumi quickly understood what Yumiko meant. She wanted to talk to Sachiko privately.

Yumi flashed her sincerest smile to show Yumiko that she was not offended. She glanced at her Oneesama who simply nodded, indicating that it's fine.

"Kei-sama, would you like to join me outside?"

Kei, understanding the situation smiled and excused herself.

—0—

Sachiko wondered what Yumiko wanted to talk to her about. She was pretty sure it was about her grandmother but she hoped that it would be a quick conversation. She didn't want Yumi to be alone with Kei.

"You are just like your grandmother."

Yumiko started as she stared at Sachiko's face.

"Yes, I am told that I look like her many times."

Sachiko stated like a matter of fact.

Yumiko slowly shook her head and smiled.

"Not just your looks but also in other ways."

Sachiko looked at her quizzically as she wondered what other similarities she and her late grandmother share.

"I saw the way you look at your seour. Saiko-sama used to look at me that way too."

Yumiko said emotionally as she held back the tears that were gathered in her eyes.

"The way you look at Yumi-chan, as if she's the only thing in the world worth your attention. Your eyes are telling her that she's the most important person in your life, am I right?"

It amazed Sachiko how this woman can clearly see through her. But if her grandmother used to look at this woman the way she looks at Yumi then that means...

'Yes, Saiko-sama loved me that way too."

Yumiko said with a soft smile seeing the surprised look on Sachiko's face when realization hit her.

Sachiko was speechless. She remembered when her grandmother asked her to tell Yumiko that she loved the latter but she didn't take it in that manner. After this revelation, Sachiko didn't lose respect for her grandmother. What she felt was sympathy for her. Saiko lived a long life but she didn't spend it with the person she loved.

"I can see that you loved her too. Why didn't you fight for your love?"  
Sachiko asked after gathering her composure.

"The society back then was not as open-minded as the society now. Even we ourselves found it hard to admit that our feelings were more than platonic."

Yumiko stood and walked to a coffee table on the other side of the room. On top of the table was a picture frame. She picked it up and stared lovingly at the photo. It was the photo of her and Saiko during their Lillian days, taken in front of the statue of Maria-sama.

"My life ended on the day of her marriage. I chose to leave and not to see her again. But no matter how far I was, her thoughts never left me. In fact, it has been my daily habit to reminisce the times we were together. After all, memories are all I have to remind me that once in my life, I have loved someone and that someone loved me back."

Sachiko listened intently to the old woman's story then noticed the tears falling from Yumiko's eyes. She stood up and approached the other woman.

"Here."

She kindly offered her white handkerchief.

"Thank you but you might want to use it for yourself."

The old woman said with a soft smile. It was only then that Sachiko realized teardrops falling from her own eyes.

Sachiko became emotional when she imagined herself having the same faith as her grandmother. Marrying someone she didn't love and having a family, but spending everyday of the rest of her life thinking of her one true love like what Yumiko has been doing for the last couple of decades. It was definitely not a life to look forward to.

"But you know, I believe you are stronger than your grandmother."

Yumiko said after wiping her tears with her own handkerchief. Sachiko gave her a quizzical look.

"It was only during her final hours when she admitted her love for me. It won't take you that long to confess to your love, am I right?"

She said and Sachiko understood.

"Definitely not! I refuse to spend my life without her."

Sachiko stated with conviction.

* * *

A/N: Did I surprise you in this chapter? I don't know how you would react after reading this. I hope I didn't twist the story to a bad direction. Have you noticed that Yumi didn't receive a note in this chapter? There's a reason for that. And have you noticed that there are a lot of secrets that were being revealed in this story? That explains the title. Hope you enjoy. Please review.


	6. Confrontation

A/N: I mentioned before that this story is going to have 12 chapters but it seems that it's going to take up to 15 chapters. I have included two chapters that were not on my plan but they turned out to be good and I was really surprise. You'll get to read it someday but for now, here is chapter 6. There might be some grammatical errors here because I had no time to fully check this chapter but I hope it still understandable.

* * *

**Confrontation**

* * *

"Mom, Dad, I'm leaving."

Yumi cheerfully said as she walked towards the door.

"Okay, dear. Take care."

Miki Fukuzawa lovingly told her daughter.

It was another morning, another day of school. Yumi energetically left the Fukuzawa household. As soon as she walked out the front door, a familiar voice called out to her from behind. When she turned around, a very pleasant sight greeted her.

"Oneesama!"

Yumi exclaimed in surprise. She blinked twice but the image did not disappear. Her Oneesama was really there, smiling brightly down at her.

"Good morning, Yumi."

Sachiko greeted with her toothpaste-commercial, charming smile. She looked so cheerful, no one would think she had low-blood pressure.

"G-Good morning Oneesama."

Yumi stammered on giving Sachiko a proper greeting. She didn't know whether she should be nervous or glad to see her Oneesama in front of their house. What could be the reason why Sachiko was there.

"Oneesama, why are you here?"

Yumi asked worriedly. Is everything alright, do you have a problem, are you not going to school? These were the questions running through her mind.

"To pick you up, of course."

Sachiko answered in a "isn't it obvious" kind of tone.

"I was about to push the intercom when Yumi came out."

The tall girl added as she gently stroke Yumi's head.

Yumi was relieved to hear that everything was fine with Oneesama but her worry was replace by curiosity. Why would Sachiko pick her up.

"Come on Yumi, I don't want us to be late."

Sachiko's hand found Yumi's and she gently dragged the girl. It was only then that Yumi noticed an elegant black car was parked in front of their house. The driver was standing in front of the car and when he saw Sachiko and Yumi approaching, he opened the door of the backseat for them.

"Oneesama, why did you pick me up?"

Yumi asked when the car started moving. They were comfortably sitting on the backseat. Sachiko stared at her for a moment then to Yumi's surprise, Sachiko pulled her into a half-embrace. Sachiko's hand was around Yumi's shoulder and Yumi's head was on the taller girl's...uhm...chest.

"I just wanted to spend time with my Yumi."

Sachiko softly whispered then she kissed the top of Yumi's head.

Yumi's face was on fire and her Oneesama's words and actions were the ones that ignited it.

"I woke up this morning earlier than I usually do and I thought it would be nice if we go to school together."

Sachiko spoke as her hand that was on Yumi's shoulder started caressing the side of Yumi's arm.

Despite the cold temperature inside the car, Yumi was sweating. Her Oneesama was making her feel warm and the fact that her head was comfortably placed on Sachiko's bosom wasn't helping either. She wanted to pull away and yet she wanted to stay.

'Oneesama is becoming more and more affectionate. But I shouldn't be embarrass. No one is here but me, her and the driver...Driver?'

Upon remembering the man behind the wheel, Yumi quickly pulled away from Sachiko and created a short distance between them.

"T-Thank you, Oneesama. That's very kind of you."

The blushing girl said with eyes staring down.

'Why did she pull away? Hmm...I think my little one is playing hard to get.'

A devious grin appeared on Sachiko's face. (she's up to something again)

After a while of awkward silence...

"Yumi."

Sachiko called with a sweet voice. Yumi, who had her eyes down, tilted her head and glanced at Sachiko.

"I think my tie was crooked when you laid your head on me earlier. Will you help me fix it?"

Sachiko said innocently as she pointed her finger at the tie of her collar. Truth was, she purposely crooked it so that she could ask Yumi to fix it for her.(what a lame excuse)

"I find it hard to fix my tie when I'm not in front of the mirror."

Sachiko added shyly, or should I say, pretending to be shy. After all, who could refuse a request coming from a blushing, gorgeous princess.

It was just a simple request but to Yumi, it sounded like a mission impossible. Fixing her Oneesama's tie was like saying "the dog will take its master out for a walk". It was a total role reversal; something Yumi has never thought of happening. But she cannot turn down a request like that. So after a moment of contemplation, the dog...I mean Yumi, gathered enough courage to fulfill her Master's wish.

"I'm sorry I ruined your tie."

Yumi said nervously as she moved closer and reached up to her Oneesama's collar. Sachiko watched as Yumi fixed her tie with shaky hands.

"Thank you, Yumi."

Sachiko said as soon as Yumi let go of her collar. Yumi looked up and met her Oneesama's piercing blue eyes gazing down at her. Yumi felt her body paralyzed as she drowned herself into those deep pools of sapphire gaze. They continued staring at each other as they remained frozen in place, both not breaking eye-contact. After a while, it was Sachiko who broke the spell.

"We're near."

She said and Yumi saw through the window some Lillian students walking on the streets. She jerked in surprise and settled on her seat.

"Y-Your welcome, Oneesama."

She answered belated. Her heart was throbbing painfully and she hoped Sachiko wouldn't notice.

'What was that? We were so close I wanted to kiss her.'

Yumi thought. She had no plan of kissing her Oneesama but if Sachiko is always going to be this close to her, Yumi might not be able to control herself and she fears Sachiko's reaction if that happens.

'We'll get there soon, my love.'

Sachiko mused with a satisfied smile as she stared at the blushing girl beside her. It took all her will-power to hold herself from kissing Yumi. She knew that if she gives in, she might not be able to stop. She didn't want their first kiss to be inside a car with a driver in front of them. Nevertheless, she was pleased with Yumi's reaction. She saw the desire in those mocha eyes, telling her that they're feelings were mutual.

They got off the car, and walked into the gates where they spotted a familiar face.

"Gokigenyou, Kei-sama."

Yumi greeted with a smile and Sachiko gave a slight bow.

"Good morning Yumi-chan, Sachiko-san."

The university student said with a charming smile pointed directly at Yumi. Sachiko's eyebrows twitched and the bomb inside of her started ticking. Tic Tac Tic Tac...

"Kei-sama, thank you for yesterday. I was really glad to see Yumiko again."

"It's alright. I hope when you go there again, it would be me you're visiting. I told you that you are always welcome in my place. It's really sad being alone there all the time, it would be nice to have a cute girl like you to keep me company."

The older woman said playfully. Sachiko was reaching her boiling point.

"Didn't we have fun last time when you visited me? You even brought me a present."

Kei added seductively then she reached out to stroke Yumi's hair. But before she could have touched a strand of it, Sachiko tugged Yumi's hand.

"I'm sorry Kei-sama but we really have to go. Our meeting is about to start."

Sachiko coldly said as she started marching towards the school ground, forcibly dragging Yumi's hand.

'I'm sure she was waiting for Yumi to arrive so she could ask her out.'

That was Sachiko's theory.

'Urgh...If only killing is legal that woman is the first person I would legally murder.'

Sachiko thought with boiling anger.

When they reached the statue of Maria-sama, she let go of Yumi's hand and put her own hands together to give a silent prayer.

'Oh Maria-sama, forgive me if I'm having evil thoughts. Please don't let anyone try to steal Yumi so I wouldn't have to commit a crime.'

—0—

"Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou."

The Chinensis sisters greeted their fellow council members who were already inside the meeting room. The others immediately noticed that the Red Rose sisters were not in a good mood. The ice Princess looked grumpy while the bubbly girl looked nervous.

"Yumi-san did you have a fight with your Oneesama?"

Yoshino whispered to the girl sitting next to her.

"No, of course not."

Yumi whispered back then she glanced at her Oneesama who was busy reading through the stack of print-outs. Yumi wondered what cause Sachiko to look so agitated. Sachiko was in such a great mood earlier that morning but upon arriving to school she suddenly became silent. Then Yumi remembered the scene inside the car.

'Did she read through my thoughts? Of course she did because of my face! Is she mad because she saw how badly I wanted to kiss her? She must be disgusted of me now.'

Yumi thought in horror. The scene inside the car was what she had been thinking ever since they got off. She couldn't take her mind off the image of Sachiko's beautiful eyes and inviting lips. She can't help wondering what could have happened if she pressed her lips on Sachiko's.

If only she knew that the real cause of her Oneesama's wrath was the Lillian University student named Katou Kei.

"It's only a few minutes before the bell rings, shall we go?"

Rosa Foetida said and everyone but Sachiko stood up.

"You can go ahead. I want to drink another cup of tea. Yumi, will you keep me company?"

In other words, she wanted to talk to Yumi in private so the others left without protest leaving poor Yumi in the hands of her agitated Oneesama.

Yumi remained silent on her seat, waiting nervously for what Sachiko was about to say.

'Please don't ask me to return your rosary. Please don't break the bond.'

Yumi was silently praying. This was why she didn't want Sachiko to find out about her true feelings. She feared that her Oneesama would stay away from her.

"Yumi.."

Sachiko started with her eyes staring at the teacup.

"Y-Yes?"

Yumi slowly glanced at Sachiko.

"DON"T ever go to Kei-sama's place again."

She said nonchalantly then continued sipping tea.

Yumi was relieved but at the same time was so confused. She wondered why Sachiko would say such a thing.

"Why-"

"And your answer?"

Sachiko said with a stern voice that always comes out with one result.

"Yes, Oneesama."

Yumi answered automatically. Whenever Sachiko uses that question with that kind of tone, Yumi could not do anything but agree. It was an effective way to end an argument.

"Good."

Sachiko said with a contented smile. Yumi was relieved to see that smile. It only meant that Sachiko was not mad at her so she decided not to argue with her Oneesama.

—0—

That afternoon, Sachiko did not go to the Rose Mansion. She told Yumi that she was going to meet a family friend.

"Good afternoon, Sachiko-san. It's nice to see you again. Please come in."

An old woman greeted the girl standing outside her wooden gate.

Sachiko politely returned the greeting then she followed Yumiko.

"I'm here because I wanted to give you something."

Sachiko said as soon as she got seated on Yumiko's living area.

She unzipped her bag and pulled out a small box and handed it to Yumiko. Yumiko looked at it quizzically before opening it. The old woman gasped in surprise when she recognized the item inside it.

"It belonged to grandmother. She was always holding that when she was still alive."

"I cannot accept this. This is too valuable to your family since it reminds you of her."

"But you deserve to have it. Now I understand why she valued that so much. It was not just because she was a religious person but also because that reminded her of you, of your bond."

Sachiko softly said, trying to convince the old woman. Yumiko stared down at the rosary inside the box then took it out and held it gently. The sudden rush of emotion flew inside her as the memories of their Lillian days came flashing back. It was not the rosary that Saiko-sama gave to her but the fact that that item belonged to the most important person in her life made it so valuable.

"Very well, if it's really alright then I gladly accept this. I will treasure this deeply."

Yumiko said smiling gratefully.

"I'm sure grandmother would have wanted you to have that."

Sachiko said reassuringly. She gave the rosary to Yumiko because she believed it would have made her grandmother happy.

—0—

"What do you want to talk to me about?"

Sachiko coldly asked. She was inside one of the houses in Yumiko's compound.

Earlier, Sachiko was about to exit Yumiko's place when Kei entered through the wooden gate. After greeting each other in a civilized manner, Kei invited Sachiko into her house because there was something she wanted to talk to her about. Sachiko agreed because she felt that whatever this woman wanted to talk about was related to Yumi.

"Is there anything you want to drink?"

"I'm fine. Please don't bother."

Sachiko simply said. Kei sat on a cushion on the floor opposite Sachiko. She stared at the heiress for a moment before a mocking smile appeared on her face.

"I envy you."

Kei firmly said and Sachiko started to get annoyed. She didn't know whether it was a compliment or an insult.

"But not because you are rich, beautiful and famous. I envy you because you have someone like her."

Sachiko didn't need to ask who Kei was talking about. She found herself in front of a new rival. But compared to the girl she confronted the other day, Kei was a bit intimidating. Kei's presence reminded Sachiko of her Oneesama. Mizuno Youko was a woman who can easily make Sachiko dance upon her palms. Kei and Youko have the same level of maturity, something that intimidates a temperamental person like Sachiko.

"Yes, I am very blessed to have Yumi which is why I value her deeply."

Sachiko said proudly after gathering her composure.

"Oh, really? Why do I find that hard to believe?"

Hearing this, Sachiko started loosing her temper.

"If you really do care for her you would not have hurt her. You abandoned her like a cat left in the rain. I saw how desperately she ran after you. I heard her pleading voice calling out for you. And I felt her pain when she slumped on the ground crying hard and helpless."

Sachiko was shocked. She was not aware that Yumi ran after her that day. She imagined how Yumi had ran and cried for her and it made her feel guilty. She will not forgive anyone who will hurt Yumi even if that person is she herself.

"I watched her silently as she cried. Her tears falling with the rain was a beautiful yet painful sight. At that moment, all I wanted to do was to hold her. I didn't know who she was, all I knew was that I wanted to have her into my life."

Kei continued as Sachiko remained silently battling with her conscience.

"When Sei approached her, I saw the opportunity to meet Yumi. Somehow I'm glad that what happened happened because if it didn't, I wouldn't have met her."

Kei said seriously. And that was how Sachiko found out how Yumi and Kei specifically met.

"Are you saying these things to make me feel guilty?"

"No, I'm just letting you know that I like Yumi. You wouldn't forbid your little sister from seeing me, would you?"

Sachiko glared at Kei.

"I am grateful for everything you had done for her. But Yumi doesn't need anyone else to take care of her now that she has me."  
"You are showing just what a selfish Oneesama you are. Yumi is just your seour, not your property."

At this statement, Sachiko snapped.

"You're right, I am selfish...which is why I see her as my property. Yumi is my most precious possession. I treasure her above anything. And as selfish as I am, I will not give nor even share Yumi to anyone."

"She is mine, so stay away from her."

"Is that a request or a warning?"

Kei asked challengingly.

"It's a threat."

Sachiko answered with murderous eyes.

Leaving those words, Sachiko left Kei's place in a hurry. She had to see Yumi and ask for her love's forgiveness.

Sachiko went back to Lillian hoping to catch Yumi in the Rose Mansion. It had only been an hour since classes had ended so there was a big possibility that her seour was still there. Sachiko checked Yumi's shoe box to make sure. Sadly, she found Yumi's indoor shoe inside; Yumi had indeed gone home.

_**30 minutes earlier...**_

'That Yoshino-san, when is she going to stop?'

An exasperated Yumi thought as she was walking towards the Lillian gates. That afternoon, she went to the Rose Mansion and planned to stay there for a few hours. But because Yoshino wouldn't stop nagging her about what Sachiko talked to her about that morning, Yumi decided to leave.

"Yumi-chan."

A voice called her out . Yumi stopped and turned around to greet the owner of the voice.

"Gokigenyou, Kei-sama."

"Hello. I see that you are alone. Has your Oneesama left you again?"

Kei teased. (although she might be wishing for that to come through)

"No way! Oneesama had to take care of something so she left earlier."

Yumi explained in Sachiko's stead.

"I see. Well, it's still early. Why don't we have tea in my place?"

Kei really enjoys Yumi's company and she wanted to know her better.

Yumi's face brightened at first with excitement but it immediately turned into a sad one.

**_"Don't ever go to Kei-sama's place again."_**

Oneesama's command was echoing in her head.

"I would love to Kei-sama but you see I..uhm..need to go home early."

Yumi said relucantly. She wanted to accept the invitation but she couldn't break her promise to Sachiko. Nevertheless, Yumi will always be grateful to Kei's hospitality.

"Is that so? Alright, maybe some other time?"  
"O-Okay."

Kei could see the conflict on Yumi's transparent face. She could sense that something was holding the girl back from accepting her invitation. She suspected that Sachiko had something to do with it.

"Well, you better go now. I think it's going to rain again."

Kei stared at the gray sky indicating that rain is going to pour.

"Right. Good day again, Kei-sama."

As Yumi was walking her way home, she wondered why Sachiko was forbidding her to go to Kei-sama's place.

'Maybe because she sees Kei-sama as a stranger so she disapproves of her sister going to a stranger's house.'

Whatever Sachiko's reason was, Yumi decided to let it slide for now. She didn't want them to have an argument now that they have just gotten back together.

—0—

**_I _**_am truly amazed by your transparent face._

**_H_**_onesty is clearly seen in every frown and every grin._

**_D_**_efinitely interesting are your facial expressions,_

**_H_**_oping but failing to hide your true emotions._

This was the fourth note Yumi received from her secret fan. Although she suspects that Kanako was the one sending them, there was no way for her to prove it. The notes were not handwritten they were printed so she cannot use anyone's handwriting as a basis.

'Even this person noticed my unusual talent of being unable to lie.'

Yumi told herself sarcastically.

* * *

A/N: It's hard to put Sei into the story so I put Kei instead. But I'm not yet finish with the story so who knows, I still might be able to include her. I'm very happy with your reviews so please keep them coming (so I'll keep on writing). And I made a teaser(sort of).

** TEASER**

Sachiko: Hey, Strikien. When are you going to make me confess to Yumi?  
Strikien: Patience my dear, patience.  
Sachiko: Tell that to the readers. They're the ones getting impatient.  
Strikien: Really, you think so?  
Sachiko: Yes. I think they are getting bored. They want to read more action.  
Strikien: Action? Like a cat fight between you and Kei or Kanako?  
Sachiko: No, idiot! I mean more me and Yumi...you know... kisssing? Some action in bed isn't such a bad idea either.(winks)  
Strikien: Since when have you become so perverted? You really are a dirty old man.  
Sei: Did someone call for me?  
Strikien: No I wasn't referring to you but to your apprentice over here.  
Sei: Strikien, my friend. When am I going to show up in the story?  
Strikien:Who says you're in it?  
Sei: I'm not?  
Strikien: No.  
Sei: But that's preposterous! Stick girl, Kei, Yumiko and a dead old woman were included and I'm not? Even Kashiwagi is going to be in the story and so as...  
Strikien: Shut up!  
Sachiko: Does she mean there are going to be more characters in the story? More people will try to steal Yumi? Why do you always have to make it hard for me?_  
(Sachiko glares at Strikien; author sweats)_  
Strikien: Uhm..ano...you're going to confess your love on the next chapter so you shouldn't stress yourself.  
Sachiko: Really?  
Strikien: Yes, I promise.  
Sachiko: That's great!_  
(Sachiko smiles; author sighs with relief)_  
Strikien: Hey, wait a minute. How did you know about Kashiwagi?  
Sei: I...uhm..you see...  
Eriko: She read your story draft.  
Strikien: Shame on you Sei.  
Sei: Shame on you too. I found out that you still haven't started chapter 11; you lazy writer! And Sachiko's no better. Have you forgotten that she read Yumi-chan's poem without permission?  
Eriko: You know, I was wondering, will Yumi-chan ever find out that her notebook is on Sachiko's possession?  
Strikien: Of course she will. But I'm not on that part yet.  
Eriko: That means you can still include me into the story.  
Strikien: Why would I do that?  
Eriko: Come on, you didn't give me a significant role on the first story and now you wouldn't even mention me here? Even Youko's name was  
mentioned in this chapter. How come you're not giving me any attention?  
Sei & Strikien: Because you're straight.  
Eriko: Hey, that's a very harsh accusation. What about Yumiko and sachiko's grandma, what made you think they're gay. And what prove do you  
have that I'm straight?  
Strikien: You asked a man to marry you. You can't be straighter than that.  
Eriko: Oh, I forgot about that. But the story is getting more interisting and I want to be part of it!  
Sei: Forget about her. Just focus on me. The story is incomplete without the almighty Satou Sei. You have to include me or else...  
Strikien: Or else what?  
Sei: I'll tell Yumi-chan who's her secret fan, the one sending those corny notes.  
Strikien: You don't know who it is. Even on my story drat I still haven't yet mentioned the identity of that person yet.  
Sei: Yeah, but I have a good feeling it's Kanako.  
Eriko: No, I think it's Touko.  
Youko: Nonsense, it's Sachiko. Who else would it be?  
Sei: What evidence do you have Miss soon-to-be-lawyer? No, it's Kanako. I'm pretty sure of it.  
Eriko: Hey my instinct never fails me so it's Touko.  
Youko: I'm telling you my sister!  
Noriko: Are they really the former Roses?  
Shimako: Yes, they are.


	7. Confession

A/N: The disaster that hit Japan was devastating. My prayer goes to that country and to its people. I pray that they would soon recover from this tragedy.

I decided to comment on your reviews.

**Honulicious:** Yes there's a confession in this chapter. I think you liked the A/N more than the chapter. haha**  
Insomniac1970:** Yumi will accept someone else confession? Never thought of that. I would have considered that idea if you mentioned that sooner, too bad.**  
fran-chan808:** I like it too. Kei will surely popped into the story again but don't expect a cat fight.**  
teufelchen29**: Yeah, probably I'll write about Sei due to insistent public demand. Youko and Eriko? I don't know.**  
Neslim:** You'll have to wait a few more chapters to read some "action". But don't expect too much. I'm too shy to write a lemon scene. Maybe someday I will.**  
ExceptMe:** You made me laugh. Don't worry this chapter has no humor so you don't have to worry about your Mom catching you laughing like a person who lost sanity due to hunger while reading this.**  
Reader:** Sorry, there will be no cat fight. I don't want to ruin Sachiko's pretty face.**  
conventgirlvampire:** Kashiwagi will appear in this story but not in this chapter. But he is not that interesting. I'll just make fun of him.**  
seyan:** I agree, Yumi is really lucky. I wanted to add Shizuka as one of Sachiko's rival but she's in Italy so maybe I'll do that on the someday in another story. And about Touko and Kashiwagi, you're going to have to wait and see, my friend. **  
choki-choki:** Like what I promise to Sachiko, she will confess in this chapter. But I don't know if she will be satisfied, you know how demanding she is. I'm sure she'll glare at me again.

You know, I like it when write questions or request on your reviews. It gives me something to write about.

**Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM**

* * *

**CONFESSION**

**

* * *

**

'What am I doing here? I can't talk to her like this.'

When she found out that Yumi had gone home, she couldn't decide what to do. All she knew was that she wanted to see Yumi immediately. When she got off the bus, her feet led her to the direction of Yumi's home. As she was walking, rain started to pour. She had an umbrella with her but she chose not to use it. She walked in the rain, wanting to feel the pain that Yumi felt that day when they had a misunderstanding. But no matter what punishment she gives to herself, she knew that nothing could lessen the guilt she was feeling. Only Yumi's forgiveness would bring her peace of mind.

As she continued her journey, Kei's words echoed in her mind. If she saw Yumi running after her, she would surely had gotten off the car despite the heavy rain. She wondered why she didn't hear Yumi calling out to her that day. Was it because it was raining and she was already inside the car? No, Sachiko believes that even in a dark-pitch, soundless room, she would immediately sense Yumi's presence. Even in a noisy crowded place she would distinguish Yumi's voice clearly even if it was just a whisper. That time, she didn't hear Yumi calling out to her because all her senses stopped functioning. Her senses automatically shut off when she saw Yumi threw herself into Sei-sama's arms. Her jealousy and insecurity led her into making stupid decisions like walking away and handing Yumi to another person. If only she had been more expressive of her feelings, Yumi would not have doubted her importance to Sachiko's life, she would not have become jealous of Touko and she would not have runaway. These were the things that Sachiko realized as she walked in the rain until she found herself standing in front of Yumi's house. She was standing there for about five minutes but still couldn't find the courage to push the intercom. She was about to leave when a hand gripped her wrist.

"Sachiko-san, what are you doing here outside?"

It was Yumi's younger brother, Yuuki. He quickly held his umbrella over Sachiko's head. He couldn't believe that the woman standing in front of their house was Yumi's Oneesama. It was obvious that the older girl was troubled and probably needed his sister's help.

"Please come inside."

Yuuki pleaded and was relieved when Sachiko silently followed.

Sachiko entered the house without a word. She refused to look Yuuki in the eyes knowing that she must have looked like a mess with her hair and clothes soaking wet.

Yumi was sitting on the couch of their living room when she heard the door opened. She knew it was his brother because Yuuki usually arrives home at that time. She stood up to check if her brother got wet. If Yuuki had forgotten to bring an umbrella, Yumi would take that chance to tease her brother for being careless.  
After a few steps, Yumi reached their front door where she was greeted by a sight that could have surpassed any of her worst nightmare.

"Onee—"

Yumi was about to exclaim her surprise when Yuuki quickly ran to her and covered her mouth with his hand.

"Shhh. Do you want Mom to see her like that?"

He whispered to his sister. Yuuki, being the sensitive person that he was, probably thought that Sachiko, being a woman with great pride and dignity didn't want many people to see her in that state.

Yumi was shocked for a moment but soon she realized what her brother was trying to say. Sachiko looked distraught and there was a grim look in her eyes.

"Take her to the bathroom upstairs. I'll tell Mom that your Oneesama is here but she got wet in the rain so she's taking a shower."

And with that, Yuuki proceeded to the kitchen where his mother was busy preparing dinner.

Yumi stood in front of her Oneesama. It was breaking her heart to see her beloved Oneesama looking so devastated and hurt.

Sachiko stayed immobile. She was berating herself for barging into Yumi's home without prior notice. Her need to immediately see Yumi resulted her into making that reckless decision. Sachiko's musing was cut when she felt a soft hand touched her.

"Oneesama, please come with me."

Yumi softly said as she held Sachiko's hand and led her upstairs.

_"Maybe Sachiko-sama is still sad and it is only your presence that comforts her."_

Shimako's words played in Yumi's head. Sachiko's surprise appearance at their front door convinced Yumi that Shimako's theory was right.

—0—

She was standing in the shower. Warm water was running to her naked body and it was helping Sachiko to calm down and think properly.

'I think it's time to tell Yumi the truth. I cannot stand this anymore.'

Sachiko thought with determination. She turned off the shower and wiped herself with a towel. She wore the clothes that Yumi brought to her. The tank-top and sweatshirt were fine but the jogging-pants was a bit short for her.

She opened the bathroom door, expecting to see Yumi waiting for her outside but Yumi wasn't there. She couldn't decide whether she should go downstairs and look for Yumi or just stay there and wait for her. She walked out of the bathroom and as she took in her surroundings, she realized that it was the first time that she had been into Yumi's home. She felt nervous at the thought that she would meet Yumi's parents. What would the Fukuzawa couple think of her? That she was a troubled teenage girl who runaway? They might see her as a careless Oneesama who cannot be trusted with their daughter. Sachiko feared that she might make a bad impression on them.

Her eyes settled on the door at the left side of the hallway. Sachiko had a feeling that it was Yumi's room. With steady steps she slowly approached the door. WIth a shaky hand, she softly knocked, hoping that Yumi was inside. It did not take long for the door to open and a surpised Yumi greeted her.

"Oneesama! How long have you been standing there? I'm sorry left you. I decided to dry your clothes while you shower."

Yumi rambles, panicking.

"I'm sorry. Uhm.. please come in."

Yumi gestured her Oneesama to enter. She didn't have time to worry what her Oneesama would think of her room. Sachiko's welfare was her only concern.

Entering Yumi's room, Sachiko noticed her uniform lying on the bed with a hair blower beside it. Yumi picked up the uniform and hanged it outside her closet door. Then she walked back and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Oneesama, please take a seat."

She said as she tapped her side, motioning Sachiko to sit beside her.

Sachiko silently obeyed as she wondered why Yumi hasn't asked her anything yet. She can clearly see that Yumi was worried but the girl wasn't asking any question.

"Oneesama, do you want me to dry your hair for you?"

Yumi asked when she noticed Sachiko using a towel in wiping her long hair that was gathered on one side of her shoulder.

Sachiko looked down at Yumi for a moment before she nodded. She couldn't find the words to speak. She wanted to tell Yumi a lot of things but she did not know where to start.

Yumi stood in front of Sachiko, holding the hair-blower with her right hand. Using her left hand, Yumi gently held Sahiko's long silky hair as her right hand guided the blower.

As Yumi dries off Sachiko's hair, the older girl's heart beat was increasing. She was trying to gather enough courage to confess. With the way Yumi was taking care of her, Sachiko couldn't help but fall for Yumi even more.

She was about to open her mouth when Yumi began to speak.

" You know Oneesama, two weeks ago, I was the one who got wet in the rain."

"I remember how sad I was that time. It was Sei-sama and Kei-sama who took care of me and warmed me up."

Yumi said and Sachiko felt her heart bleeding with so much guilt. Her eyes remained staring down and tears were threatening to fall.  
Yumi turned off the blower and put it down on the bed before she continued speaking.

"But all their effort was not enough. I knew that I needed something else. I needed... my Oneesama's warmth."

Yumi said emotionally then she enveloped her Oneesama into a warm embrace.

"It was you I needed then, is it me you need now, Oneesama?"

Yumi whispered on top of Sachiko's head and the older girl's tears started falling when Yumi begun crying.

"Oneesama, I'm sorry if I cannot read your thoughts. I cannot tell when you are troubled. I'm not good in handling you. If you tell what's bothering you, perhaps it will make you feel better but if you're not ready to do that yet, I understand. And I will always be here for you. I will never runaway again, Oneesama."

Sachiko wrapped her arms around Yumi, hugging the smaller girl back tightly. Yumi's words were touching but Sachiko believed that Yumi was not aware that she was the reason why Sachiko was behaving like that. Sachiko decided that it was time to make things clear.

Sachiko separated their bodies and gazed up at Yumi. She cupped Yumi's face with both hands and wiped the younger girl's face using her thumbs.

"Yumi..."

She started after clearing her throat. It was the first time she spoke since she entered that house.

"I know I had always made you feel like your being taken for granted. I was never good in expressing my feelings. But despite my unpleasant behavior, you have forgiven me and gave me another chance."

She paused and let go of Yumi's face. Her hand grasped one of Yumi's hand and kissed it lovingly then she returned her gaze on those brown eyes that continued spilling teardrops.

"From now on, I promise to be the most honest person to you. You will never again doubt your importance to my life, Yumi."

Sachiko continued. Her tears falling on the hand she was holding. Yumi was flustered. The sight of her Oneesama crying was so painful to see. Her knees weakened and she found herself kneeling in front of Sachiko who remained seated at the edge of the bed.

"I love you...I am in love with you, Yumi."

It was barely a whisper but Sachiko said it with so much love and honesty. The words clearly entered into Yumi's ears but her brain couldn't comprehend.

"It is not enough for me that we stay in this seour relationship. I want something more, Yumi."

Yumi's face remained expresionless as Sachiko continued her confession.

"But I'm not rushing you. All I'm asking is for you to give me a chance...give us a chance."

Sachiko added, realizing that she caught Yumi off-guard. She wasn't hurrying things, her goal was to let Yumi know of her true feelings. And by doing so, it made her feel so much better.

"Oneesama..."

It was all Yumi could say. She had always loved Oneesama but she never anticipated for Sachiko to love her back. Everything happened so fast and so unexpected. She remembered when she was just one of Sachiko's fans. She was happy and contented just by admiring Sachiko from afar. She never saw herself worthy of having such an amazing Oneesama. And when they became seours, it didn't take long for Yumi to fall in love with her Oneesama. But Yumi had no plans of telling Sachiko her feelings. It was enough for her to secretly love her Oneesama.

'How could you love someone like me? Are you using me to escape from something again?'

Yumi thought when she recalled how Sachiko compulsively asked her to be her seour on their first meeting. Yumi couldn't believed that Sachiko wanted to have a romantic relationship with her. If it was just a dream, she would immediately said yes but everything was real so it scared her.

"Onee—"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Yumi and Sachiko took a moment to compose themselves. After wiping her tears, Yumi stood up and opened the door slightly.

"Yumi, dinner's almost ready. You can come down anytime you want."

"Thank you Yuuki."

Yumi forced a smile then returned to the bed.

"Oneesama, we have to go down for dinner."  
Yumi simply said without meeting her Oneesama's gaze.

"Yes, just give me a moment."

Sachiko replied as she wondered what Yumi was about to say before they got interrupted.

—0—

Dinner was a feast because of the quantity of food Miki has prepared. When Yuuki informed his mother about their surprise visitor, Miki doubled the quantity of food she was cooking. She prayed that a girl like Sachiko who came from a very wealthy family would appreciate their humble meal.

"I'm sorry for coming into your home without prior notice."

Sachiko said as soon as they arrived into the dining area where Yumi's parents were already seated.

"It's fine dear. After all, you are Yumi-chan's Oneesama therefore, you are also part of this family. You are welcome here anytime."

Miki said happily and her husband nodded in agreement.

Sachiko smiled gratefully and took the seat beside her seour.

Surprisingly, during the meal Sachiko became quite cheerful. There was no sign of her previous gloomy state. She even engaged herself into a friendly conversation with Yumi's family. She was back to her usual firm and elegant manner and Yumi's parents were impressed of her. They think Yumi was lucky to have a very intelligent, well-mannered and humble Oneesama like Sachiko they didn't ask any question about her surprise visit.  
On the contrary, Yumi was silent throughout the entire meal. She was feeling uncomfortable and awkward of the situation.

After dinner, Sachiko used the the telephone and called the Ogasawara mansion. After a few minutes, the driver arrived to pick her up.

"Thank you again for your hospitality, Auntie."

"Please come again. And thank you for looking out for our daughter."

The Fukuzawas and their visitor were standing outside their house.

"Yumi, she's leaving. Are you not going to say goodbye?"

Yuuki whispered to his sister. He noticed that Yumi was avoiding her Oneesama the entire evening. Thankfully, this caught Yumi's attention and she was awakened from her deep thought.

"O-Oneesama, please take care."

She said hesitantly with a forced smile.

Sachiko just smiled at her and entered the car.

—0—

That night Yumi couldn't sleep no matter how hard she tried.

_"I love you... I'm in love with, Yumi."_

These words were playing in her head repeatedly. It would be a lie to say she wasn't overwhelmed with happiness. But it was too good to be true. She couldn't reject Sachiko the way she rejected the latter's rosary but she wasn't prepared for this. What if they get into a relationship and it wouldn't work out? She doesn't want to loose Sachiko. She knew she would be deeply hurt. She would rather have her as her seour than not to have her at all. And she was also aware of her Oneesama's engagement. Will Sachiko really choose her over Suguru? She will never see Suguru worthy for Sachiko but she never considered herself worthy of her as well. But after that confession, Yumi didn't know how she should act in front of her Oneesama again.

* * *

A/N: Of all the chapters I've written so far, this is the only one that had no humor in it. Personally this isn't one of my favorites. I don't like writing sad things. I even avoid reading sad stories because it makes me sadder than I already am. I did say there was going to be a confession but I never said that they are going to be a couple immediately. Disappointed? Please don't hate me.


	8. Giving In

A/N: I'm back with another crazy chapter. ** Insomniac1970, choki-choki, seyan, Honulicious, conventgirlvampire, **and** MissIzzyB** thank you for the reviews. To **ExceptMe**, I suggest that you lock yourself in your room first before reading this.

**Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM.**

* * *

**GIVING IN**

* * *

It was Monday morning. Yumi and the Gigantea sisters were in the Rose Mansion. Yumi's heart was pounding and there was a knot at the pit of her stomach. She knew she would see her Oneesama after a few minutes. She was glad that she wouldn't be alone with Sachiko because she was not yet prepared to continue their previous conversation that happened before the weekend. Perhaps, Shimako and Noriko noticed Yumi's discomfort but they chose to keep silent.

"Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou."

The door opened and the other council members entered. Yumi glanced and met Sachiko's gaze briefly before looking away. Sachiko took her seat and so did Rei and Yoshino. Blushing, Yumi stood up and served tea to her Oneesama like what she usually does.

"Thank you, Yumi."

Sachiko said with a soft smile. Yumi just gave a slight bow and returned to her seat without a word.

'Why is she so calm? It's as if nothing happened.'

Yumi wondered why Sachiko didn't seem to be bothered at all. She even looked cheerful and glowing. It was either she was pretending to be fine or letting her feelings out in the open made her feel so much better. But come to think of it, why would Sachiko be sad? Yumi didn't accept her love but she didn't reject it either. In Yumi's case, that confession was a blessing yet a curse. A blessing, because there was nothing else she wanted more, than to hear those words coming from Sachiko; it was her dream come true. A curse, because she didn't know how to handle it and she knew that she couldn't hide her true emotion from anyone because of her open and honest face. She didn't know how long she could keep this a secret from everyone especially from their friends. She prayed that the newspaper club will not find out about this or else it would cause a great scandal for the Yamayurikai council.

That afternoon, Yumi forced herself to go to the Rose Mansion. She wanted to avoid Sachiko but she couldn't. She feared that by doing that, she would hurt Sachiko's feelings. Her nervousness was doubled when she realized that the other Yamayurikai members won't come. Rei and Yoshino had kendo practice, Shimako had a meeting with the environmental committee and because Shimako wasn't there, Noriko didn't go either. Yumi expected Touko to be there since that first year has been frequently going to the mansion to help with their activities but she didn't go there that day.

There was an awkward silence as the Chinensis sisters silently sipped their tea.

'Oneesama hasn't mentioned anything about our last conversation. Perhaps she realized she wasn't serious and changed her mind? Maybe she was delirious that time and she didn't know what she was saying. Or was it me who was delirious and I didn't know what I was hearing? No, perhaps everything was just a dream? Yes, that's it. I was just dreaming then.'

Sachiko has not brought up that topic again so Yumi was starting to believe that everything that Sachiko said was just a pigment of her imagination Yumi almost convinced herself of that theory when Sachiko began to speak.

"Yumi.."

She said to get Yumi's attention. She saw that Yumi was in deep thought. And Yumi's troubled expression was very alarming.

"Have you thought about my proposal?"

Sachiko said seriously. Her serious face convinced Yumi that their previous conversation did happen in reality.

"I understand that it was very surprising and you're not prepared. I just wanted you to know how I feel because I couldn't keep it to myself anymore. I know you feel the same way for me but you're scared, am I right?"

Sachiko said as if reading Yumi's thoughts which was never difficult to do.

" Our families, school and the public eye. You're worried about these things, right? I know, because I've gone through that. But eventually I realized that the only thing that matters is our happiness. You make me happy like no one else can do and I believe I can do the same for you."

"Like what I said, I am not rushing you. If time is what you need, I can wait."

Sachiko said with a slight blush. Yumi's face was redder. Sachiko said everything Yumi wanted to say to her. Yumi was glad that Sachiko understood her well. It meant that Sachiko was aware of Yumi's feelings and she was also aware of Yumi's insecurities and fear.

"Thank you for understanding Oneesama. It's just hard to believe that you..uhm..love me that way."

Yumi said flushing. What she needed was time to convince herself that someone like Sachiko could fall in love with her.

"You can take your time but just remember, Fukuzawa Yumi, I will definitely have you."

Sachiko said confidently. She won't take no for an answer. Her mind was focused on achieving her main goal, which happens to be Yumi. Nothing and no one can stop her. Not her family, nor her rivals. Not even Yumi can stand on her way because it didn't even crossed her mind that Yumi doesn't want to have that kind of relationship with her. Her mind was programmed to accomplish one mission, "Make Yumi mine".

It would have been easier if she had told Yumi that she was no longer engaged but Sachiko wanted to see if Yumi was brave enough to commit a relationship with her despite Sachiko's complicated situation.

That evening...

'Something's not right. I feel something's missing.'

Yumi thought.

'It's as if there's something that happens to me everyday didn't occur today. I wonder what it is?'

Yumi said in deep thought. She replayed the events that happened to her that day especially the times when she was with Sachiko. After a brief moment she gasped when realization hit her.

'Oneesama didn't straighten my tie today! She didn't touch me, not even once!'

Yumi hoped that it was just a coincidence. Sachiko's affection is what Yumi looks forward to everyday. She takes great pleasure from that sweet gesture she gets from Sachiko and she has become used to it. Sadly, after a few days it had become obvious that it wasn't just a coincidence. No straightening of tie, no fixing of ribbons, no holding hands, no hugs, no kisses, no physical contact at all. It was like Yumi has a contagious disease so Sachiko didn't want to even touch her. Yumi thought Sachiko would be more aggressive since she has admitted that she wants their relationship to be in a higher level. She thought her Oneesama would be more affectionate to her but Sachiko's actions were the opposite.  
But it doesn't mean that Sachiko has become cold to Yumi. She has actually become verbally expressive.

"If only my face is as transparent as yours, people will see how crazy I am for you."

"You know, lately I realized that everything you say or do, leads me closer to you."

"I don't mind that you're getting popular with the students. Just don't let them touch you...or I'll strangle them."

These are some of the statements Sachiko said to Yumi. She was verbally flirting. She has become very vocal of her feelings especially when they're alone. Her words were so shocking that sometimes Yumi couldn't believe that it was really Sachiko speaking. So, even though Touko has been frequently going to the mansion, Yumi doesn't get jealous of her. And besides, Yumi is starting to like the younger girl because despite Touko's cold and disapproving manner, Yumi knew that Touko has a soft and sensitive side. But there was one afternoon when Yumi caught Touko and Sachiko engaged in a very deep conversation and it made her feel suspicious. She didn't know what they were talking about and she didn't dare to ask but since then, Yumi noticed that Touko has been acting differently around her. Whenever she catches Touko looking at her, the younger girl hastily averts her gaze.

—0—

"Sachiko, how are you and Yumi-chan doing? Any progress yet?"

Rei asked teasingly.

"I'm patiently waiting for my plan to come into fruition."

Sachiko said casually.

"Plan?"

"Yes. It won't be long now."

Sachiko replied with a wicked smile.

—0—

"Yoshino-san, have you noticed that Oneesama is not touching me anymore?"

Yumi dared to ask, not even thinking that her friend might tease her about it.

"Oh, great. Last week, you were complaining that Sachiko-sama was being touchy and now your complaining that she's not touchy anymore?"

Yoshino said laughing.

"I wasn't complaining then and I'm not complaining now!"

Yumi protested.

"It's just so confusing. I don't get it."

"Well, it doesn't seem that something happened to her."

Of course Yumi couldn't tell Yoshino the whole truth so Yoshino didn't understand the situation. Sachiko acted normal in front of everyone unlike Yumi who has a transparent face.

"You know, you're the one who's acting strange."  
Yoshino said suspiciously. Yumi decided to end the conversation before she accidentally blurts out about her persistent "suitor".

"Yoshino-san let's hurry. I don't want to keep Oneesama waiting in the greenhouse."

"Oh, you're not having lunch at the Rose Mansion?"

"No. You know Oneesama likes eating in the old greenhouse during this season."

Yumi said defensively. Truth was, it was her who suggested that they have their lunch there. If at first, Yumi wanted to avoid Sachiko, now all Yumi wanted was to be alone with Sachiko as often as possible.

—0—

"Shall we go now?"

Sachiko said as she jumped from the ledge she was sitting on. They had finished their lunch and were about to return to the school building.

"Oneesama are you punishing me?"

Yumi asked not looking up at Sachiko.

"Pardon?"

The tall girl asked with amusement.

"Why are your words so warm but your actions so cold?"

Yumi said as she remained seated, her eyes staring at her lap. Because no matter how touching Sachiko's words maybe, a part of Yumi was longing for something else. She misses her Oneesama's physical affection. Yumi's craving for Sachiko's touch and it was driving her insane.  
Sachiko's lips twitched and formed a knowing smile.

"You mean, why am I not touching you like what I usually do?"

Yumi's eyes widened in surprise. So, Sachiko knew all along and she was doing it on purpose. Yumi bravely met Sachiko's gaze.

"Yumi, you're letting me touch you and kiss you because I'm your Oneesama. I don't want to take advantage of you anymore. As long as we're just seours, I will hold myself from being intimate with you because I think it's improper."

Sachiko explained. Well, it's true. It is improper to let someone who is romantically attracted to you grope you even though you're not in a romantic relationship because it would seem disrespectful. Yumi couldn't understand what Sachiko was trying to say at first but eventually she did. She slowly nodded then she jumped from the ledge she was sitting on. And Sachiko was pleasantly surprised when Yumi threw herself into her arms.

"Then let's be more than seours."

Yumi softly whispered as she snuggled her face closer below Sachiko's neck, inhaling the fragrant scent of her Oneesama. It has been a week since she was this close to Sachiko and she can't believe how much she missed this feeling. Those words were music to Sachiko's ears. A warm feeling rushed through her body as heart started beating rapidly.

"To see your face and to hear your voice but no to feel your touch...it's torture Oneesama."

Yumi murmured as Sachiko wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's back.

"I love you Oneesama."

Yumi softly said when she glanced up at Sachiko.

Sachiko's face brightened with a broad smile. She again enveloped Yumi into a tight embrace and rested her chin on Yumi's head. Yumi was enjoying Oneesama's warmth when she felt the taller girl trembling. At first she thought Sachiko was crying due to happiness but then she realized that Sachiko was giggling.  
Yumi pulled away slightly and gazed up at Sachiko with confusion.

'Is she making fun of me?'

"I'm not making fun of you."

Sachiko sternly said, seeing the hurt look on Yumi's face.

"I'm just so happy that you finally gave in. Seriously, I was starting to get impatient. My hands were itching to touch you. You don't know how hard it was for me to control myself from holding you."

Yumi's face furiously blushed after hearing this admission. So, Sachiko was not touching Yumi on purpose so that Yumi would realize how much she enjoys Sachiko's skin-ship. It was more difficult on Sachiko's part because she had to restrain herself from being touchy to Yumi.

"But all my effort has paid off. You finally said the words I wanted to hear and you can't take it back now."

Indeed, her efforts paid off. After all her sacrifice, she finally got her prize. Can you just imagine how she'll behave around Yumi now that their officially a couple?

—0—

That afternoon, at the Rose Mansion...

"Kanako-chan, thank you for coming here. You're such a big help."

Yumi said smiling up at the tall girl. It has been more than a week since Kanako visited the mansion and Yumi didn't know why.

"Don't mention it Yumi-sama. I don't mind helping out in cleaning here in the Rose mansion since it gives me a chance to spend time with you."

The tall girl said blushing as she continued wiping the glass window with a damped cloth. Yumi just smiled at the tall girl's response. She didn't give the words a deeper meaning.

As they busied themselves with their cleaning activities, the door opened and Rosa Chinensis entered. As soon as Sachiko caught sight of the familiar tall girl, her eyes turned dangerous. She glared at the younger girl as the girl glared back at her.

"Gokigenyou, Oneesama."

Yumi greeted, snapping Sachiko out of her murderous thoughts.

"Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis."  
Kanako said, perhaps showing Yumi that she was a polite underclassman?

"Good day."

That was Sachiko's cold response.

"Oneesama, this is Hosokawa Kanako-chan. She's really nice. She helps in cleaning here.

Yumi kindly introduced the freshman to her Oneesama, not knowing that the two have already had a memorable encounter.

"I am honored to meet you, Rosa Chinenis."

Kanako said innocently. She looked nice and polite in front of Yumi.

'Such a good actress.'

Sachiko thought irritated.

"I see. Thank you for your help. That's very admirable."

Sachiko said with a fake smile. She will not be rude to this girl in front of Yumi because that would make her look like a villain or a senior bullying an underclassman.

Sachiko took her seat and Yumi hurriedly served her tea. Kanako indicated that she was planning to leave.

"Kanako-chan, won't you join us for tea?"

Yumi asked with hopeful eyes.

"Yes, why don't you join us?"

Sachiko said with a mocking smile.

To Yumi, it looked like a sincere invitation but actually it was a challenge. Sachiko was challenging Kanako to stay and prove that she was not intimidated of Sachiko. The freshman got the message and bravely accepted the challenge.

Kanako sat on the other side of the table, facing the Chinensis sisters who were sitting next to each other.

"Kanako-san, you are new in Lillian, am I right?"

"Yes, I went to a different school from preschool to junior high."

Kanako answered casually but cautiously.

"And how do you find it here?"

Sachiko asked for conversation's sake. She wasn't really interested to know. And if she would be honest, she would rather kick that girl out of the mansion so she could have Yumi alone for herself.

"Oh, I'm having a great time. At first I thought I wouldn't like it here but when I met Yumi-sama, it made me so happy and I began to like this school. Yumi-sama is simply one of a kind."

Kanako boldly said. Yumi's face flamed upon hearing this. Sachiko's face also reddened, but for a different reason. She's starting to get agitated.  
Round 1 goes to Kanako-chan.

"Yes, I agree. Yumi truly is one of a kind...the kind of person hard to find. And I feel so blessed to have found her first."

Sachiko said proudly. She will not loose her temper and be verbally defeated by this girl.  
Yumi's whole body flushed and her heart skipped a beat. Only Sachiko's words have that effect on her.  
Round 2 goes to Sachiko.

After a moment of silence, Sachiko raised her right hand and started massaging her left shoulder.

"Oneesama, shall I massage your shoulders?"

Yumi kindly offered.

"Yes, I like that. I think my shoulders are a bit stiff."

Yumi quickly stood behind Sachiko. Kanako couldn't do anything but watch as Yumi's soft hands started massaging Sachiko's "stiffed" shoulders.

Sachiko purposely flashed Kanako an intimidating smile. She was laughing inside as she watched her rival dying with jealousy.  
Round 3 also goes to Sachiko.

"Thank you Yumi. That's enough."

Sachiko said and she placed her hand on top of Yumi's. Yumi stopped massaging and was about to retract her hands when Sachiko tightened her hold on Yumi's hand and pulled it closer to her lips, giving it a gentle kiss. Then she let go of the hand and continued smiling at the girl sitting in front of her. She was clearly taunting Kanako.  
Yumi quickly returned to her seat her face redder than something red.

"Please excuse me. I really need to go."

Kanako hastily left the room, leaving Yumi dumbfounded and Sachiko victorious.  
Sachiko won the match at Round 4 by technical knock-out. Poor Kanako, she didn't stand a chance against Sachiko. Well, it was definitely a mismatch in the first place.

"Oneesama, why did you do that?"

Yumi asked when they were left alone.

"Did what?"

Sachiko asked with feigned innocence.

"You said you will not kiss me again in front of others."

Yumi said in protest and embarrassment.

"I beg to differ. I remember saying that I won't kiss you again in public. Public refers to a group of people, Kanako is just one person therefore, the word public does not apply to her."

Sachiko being a person who hates loosing playfully explained.

"And why are you complaining? Wasn't it just a while ago when you were begging me to touch you?"

Sachiko continued her teasing, enjoying Yumi's stammering reaction.

"B-Begging?"

Yumi was stuttering in embarrassment. Well, she did say that not to feel Sachiko's touch was torture so you can say it's close to Sachiko's interpretation.

"I just wanted to show that girl that you're already taken. She is obviously smitten over you. You shouldn't give her any false hope."

Sachiko said seriously. Though, she would rather keep their relationship discreet, she doesn't mind Kanako finding out. She wanted to crush that girl's ambition as early as possible. And she doesn't want anyone fantasizing about her girlfriend. Yumi wondered whether Sachiko was teasing her or the latter was acting like a possessive girlfriend.

'Girlfriend?'

That thought made Yumi smile.

"Why are you smiling? Your happy because you found out she likes you?"

Sachiko asked irritated when she saw that dreamy smile on Yumi's lips. Yumi's eyes widened and fear crossed her face.

"N-No, of course not. I just..uhm...you're acting like a jealous girlfriend...And I like it."

Yumi trailed off nervously and hanged her head in shame when she realized what she said.

Sachiko was speechless as a warm feeling flooded her body. Her temper cooled down and a mischievous grin appeared on her gorgeous face.

"That's good..."

She said and Yumi glanced up at her with questioning eyes.

"Because you have a very protective and overly possessive girlfriend... so you better get use to it.

Those words made Yumi's heart swoon with happiness.

—0—

**_O_**_pening up to anyone,_

**_I_**_s something I have never done._

**_S_**_urprisingly when it comes to you,_

**_E_**_xpressing myself is easy to do._**_  
_**

This is another note Yumi received from her secret fan that week.

'Should I tell Oneesama about this? What if she gets mad? She said she's possessive so she might hunt this person down if she finds out. But if I don't tell her, she might get mad at me. It's not like I'm cheating on her. I just want to befriend this person. But I shouldn't be hiding anything from her. Ahhh...What am I going to do?'

Yumi's self-debate was interrupted by the ringing of the phone. She almost jumped out of her skin at the sound.

"H-Hello. This is Fukuzawa Yumi."

"Yumi, I'm glad you're the one who answered."

"Oneesama! Why...I mean how are you?"

Yumi said nervously. She prayed that Sachiko wouldn't ask what she was thinking about before she called.

"I'm fine Love. I just wanted to hear your voice.

Sachiko said playfully, imagining the blushing face of the girl on the other line.

"Yumi..."

She said.

"Let's go on a date tomorrow."

"..."

_To be continued..._

* * *

A/N: I'm updating faster than the usual so I guess it's not too much to ask for more reviews, right? I'm having writer's block so you should keep me motivated._  
_


	9. The Date Part I

A/N: On the last chapter, did I give you the impression that it's not Kanako sending those notes? Well, you can never be sure if she will not appear again. Anyway, this is a two-part chapter. Hope you enjoy. Thank for the reviews.

* * *

**THE DATE**  
Part I

* * *

"Hey, what is this mess?"

Yuuki asked with amusement as he stepped into his sister's room and saw clothes scattered everywhere. The last time he saw Yumi's room this messy was when Yumi was looking for a missing item of hers.

"Yuuki, how many times have I told you to knock first before entering?"

Yumi grumpily told her brother as she continued rummaging her closet..

"I'm just here to get the phone."

Ignoring his sister's remark, Yuuki walked towards Yumi's desk and picked up the cordless phone.

"Why are you taking out all the clothes from your closet."

He asked curiously.

"I can't decide which dress to wear but I have to decide immediately because Oneesama is coming any minute."

Yumi mumbled panicking. Last night, Sachiko called her and suggested (demanded) that they go on a date. Yumi was so overwhelmed with excitement that it was already midnight when she finally got herself to sleep. And because she had forgotten to set her alarm clock, she overslept. Sachiko was going to pick her up at 10 am, less than an hour when Yumi woke up.

"You're just going out with your Oneesama. Why do you have to look your best?"

Yuuki said.

"T-That's none of your business! Just take what you need and get out!"

Yumi answered blushing. It embarrassed her that Yuuki noticed her effort to dress up for this occassion.

'It's not just a date. It's our first date as a couple!'

Yumi thought with excitement and nervousness when her brother exited her room.

—0—

"Ah, Yuuki, is you're sister awake?"

Miki asked when her son went downstairs and sat on the couch after making a phone call.

"Yes Mom. She's in her room, meticulously deciding which dress to wear for her date. She is going to be picked up by 10."

Yuuki said casually then turned his attention on the television screen.

"Date?"

Miki asked in disbelief. Then she gasped and her eyes widened with a surprised expression. She turned and faced her husband who was sitting there beside her.

"H-Honey, do you know what that means?"

Miki asked her husband. Her expression was similar to a person having some difficulty in breathing due to suddenf cardiac arrest.

Yuichiro took a moment to think of the answer. But he didn't really have a clue on what to say.

""Uhm...that Yumi-chan won't join us for lunch so I'll have her share of Meat and Curry Dumplings?"

He dumbly asked.

"No idiot! Yumi-chan has date, it means...it means it won't be long and she will have a boyfriend...Yuichiro, our baby is now a lady!"

Miki said dramatically.

"Our daughter is going to get married soon and leave us...I don't want to loose her yet."

The woman trailed off more dramatically. She had been watching too much dramas on t.v.

"Hush, now Honey. Our daughter is a grown-up woman now. We should give her freedom to decide for her life."

The man softly told his wife as he tried to comfort her. Apparently, he had also been watching too much dramas on t.v.

"I'm going to take a shower."

Yuuki, unable to stand his parents exaggeration, said as he stood up.

"I'm also going out Mom so, I also will not be able to join you for lunch."

"Yuuki, you also have a date?"

Miki asked with amazement.

"Yuuki does that mean..."

"Yes Dad...you can also have my share of meat and curry dumplings."

Yuuki said with a smirk then he headed upstairs.

"I can't believe how fast they've grown."

Miki said with a heavy sigh.

—0—

The Fukuzawa couple were sitting on the couch when they heard the sound of the intercom.

"Honey, that must be Yumi-chan's date?"

"We're finally going to meet our future son-in-law."

Miki excitedly hurried to the front door. She opened the door and was instantly mesmerized by the invigorating smile that greeted her.

"Good morning. I am Kashiwagi Suguru."

Miki was sppechless for a moment. She was awestruck by the young man's appearance.

"I am here to—"

The tall young man standing in front of the door was not able to finish his sentence.

"Ahh..You must be my child's date. Please come in."

She said when she finally got her senses back. She then ushered Kashiwagi into their living area where her husband was comfortably sitting. The young man silently followed.

'Yumi-chan has good taste but I think this boy is from a very wealthy family. I would have preferred if she had chosen a humble man.'

Miki thought to herself. Then he motioned Kashiwagi to take a seat on the couch.

'I think his too tall for my daughter.'

This was Yuichiro's only concern when the young man politely introduced himself.

"Yumi-chan is still in her room. Just wait here for her, alright?"

Miki said and Kashiwagi looked at her quizzically first but then he nodded and smiled politely.

Then Miki went to the kitchen to get their visitor some snack and something to drink, leaving Kashiwagi alone with the man of the house.

"So uhm...how did you meet my daughter?"

Mr. Fukuzawa calmly interrogated after a while of awkward silence.

"Oh, I...met her in school."

Kashiwagi briefly answered. Yuichiro gasped in surprise at hearing this.

"You also go to Lillian?"

He asked in disbelief.

"Honey, since when did Lillian became a co-ed school?"

He seriously asked his wife who had just returned to the living room carrying a tray of snacks and drinks.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Lillian is and will always be a school for girls."

"But he said he met Yumi-chan in school."

'Is he a she? But he's too masculine to be a girl'

Yuichiro thought to himself. Seeing the confusion on the couple's faces, Kashiwagi almost burst out in laughter.

"You met in school? You mean...you're one of her teachers?"

Miki asked for clarification?

'I can't let my daughter date her professor. She is still a minor.'

Miki thought worriedly.

Before Kashiwagi could have answered, Yuuki appeared on the scene.

"Kashiwagi-sempai! I thought we're going to meet at Kobayashi-kun's place?"

Yuuki said as he approached the couch and saw his senior being familiar with his parents.

"I was about to leave my house when you called so I decided to pick you up on the way."

"Yuuki, you know each other?"

Miki asked in confusion.

"He's the former Hanadera council president . We're going to have a meeting regarding a school project and he's kind enough to help us."

Yuuki clearly explained and Mr. and Mrs Fukuzawa felt embarrassed for coming up with the conclusion that Kashiwagi was Yumi's date. Kashiwagi was aware of this misunderstanding from the moment Miki greeted him on the door but he decided to play along because he thought it would be fun.

The sound of the intercom caught everyone's attention. Yuki was the one who rushed to the door.

"Good morning Yuuki-san."

"Good morning Sachiko-san, please come in."

Sachiko entered the house and Yuuki hesitantly led her to the living room. He knew the tension that would surely occur if Sachiko and Kashiwagi would be left together in one room. He just prayed that they wouldn't fight in front of his parents.

Sachiko's eyes turned in slits when she saw the face of her mortal enemy. Somehow she had a feeling that she would see him there because she noticed the familiar car parked outside the Fukuzawa house. But what irritated her was the sight of Kashiwagi having a friendly conversation with Yumi's parents. She was worried that Kashiwagi might be telling them things about her and her family. She feared that Yumi's parents might get the wrong idea if they find out about her former engagement to Kashiwagi.

'What is he doing here?'

She thought suspiciously as she glanced at Kashiwagi who smiled coolly when he met her gaze.

"Sachiko-san! I'm glad to see you. "

Miki said cheerfully.

"Good morning Auntie, Uncle."

Sachiko greeted the couple politely. Then she walked closer and handed a box of pastries to Miki.

"Thank you, but you shouldn't have bothered."

"Please, it is all I can do to show my gratitude for your hospitality the last time I came here."

Aside from bringing a box of pastries, Sachiko wanted to bring chocolates and flowers for Yumi but she was worried that Yumi's parents might find that weird.

Miki gratefully accepted the box and motioned Sachiko to take a seat beside Kashiwagi. Sachiko hesitantly sat beside her cousin as Miki headed to the kitchen.

"I'll go upstairs and tell Yumi that you have arrived."

Yuuki said then he left the living room to fetch his sister. The phone rang so Mr. Fukuzawa also left the living area to answer the call, leaving Sachiko alone with Kashiwagi.

"What are you doing here?"

Sachiko whispered in an angry tone. She hoped that her cousin wasn't there to ruin her date with Yumi just to annoy her.

"Why, am I not allowed to be here?"

Kashiwagi asked innocently.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to steal your precious Yumi. I'm picking up Yuuki."

He said teasingly.

"You know, Mr. and Mrs. Fukuzawa are really nice. And I think they like me."

"Good for you. You wouldn't have a hard time asking for their son's hand."

Sachiko said sarcastically.

"They like me for their daughter, not for their son. So I think it would be Yumi-chan's hand they would be willing to give. And I might just consider. After all, your little sister is really interesting and cute."

Kashiwagi said smiling. Only a crazy person or someone who doesn't value his life would say something like that in front of Sachiko which means Kashiwagi really is crazy...and stupid. Sachiko unleashed her ultimate weapon hoping to kill Kashiwagi on the spot, her death glare. But that didn't stop Kashiwagi from his annoying comments because apparently, he was immune from that deadly weapon of hers.

"Wouldn't that be great? She would really be part of our family."

He added gleefully. At times like this, Sachiko wishes she could borrow Kira's death-note. If she had a death-note, Kashiwagi would surely be the first of her death-list followed by Kei, Kanako, Sei and everyone who had shown or will show interest on her seour. It would be a long list for sure.

As Sachiko mentally wrote down Kashiwagi's cause of death on her imaginary death-note, Yumi appeared on the room.

"Onee—"

Her excited face turned into a devastated one when she saw Sachiko sitting beside Kashiwagi.

'Why!'

Jealousy boiling inside of her and a lot of questions were forming on her mind.

'Why are they together?'

Yumi's mind screamed. Sachiko quickly realized what her girlfriend was thinking so she hurriedly rushed in front of the smaller girl who seemed to be frozen in place.

"I have just arrived...We didn't come here together...He's here to pick up Yuuki."

Sachiko kept muttering defensively. Yuuki and Kashiwagi watched them with amusement.

"This is hilarious.'

Kashiwagi thought with a smile. He had never seen her cousin acting like a man who had been caught cheating by his wife.

"Yumi, if you're ready, shall we go?"

The tall girl asked when she saw Yumi sulking. She wanted to leave immediately to avoid Kashiwagi from talking to Yumi.

"Oh, you're leaving already? Why don't you have some snack first?"

Miki who had returned carrying a tray with a plate of pastries said.

"I'm sorry Auntie but we really need to go."

"Is that so? Alright, take care dear and have fun."

"Yes Auntie, I'll take care of her."

Sachiko politely said and Yumi bid a simple goodbye. Kashiwagi and Yuuki also excuse themselves afterwards.

'Silly me. I thought my children are already dating. They're just going to spend time with their seniors.'

Miki thought with relief and a bit of disappointment.

—0—

As soon as Yumi and Sachiko walked out of the front door, Yumi headed towards the elegant black car parked in front of their house. She wondered why there was no driver standing in front of it. She was about to open the door of the backseat when Sachiko grasped her other hand.

"Yumi, were not riding in that."

She said and Yumi looked at her quizzically.

Sachiko tugged her hand and led her to the car parked behind the black vehicle. It was a red sports car.  
Yumi looked up at her with angry eyes and a hurt look that frightened the taller girl.

"Why didn't you tell me that he is coming with us? We're even going to ride in his car?"

Yumi said with teary eyes.

"Y-Yumi he's not coming with us. And this is not his car, it's mine. I'm driving."

Sachiko hurriedly explained. The red car looks similar to Kashiwagi's but they're not the same. Sachiko's car was the newest model.

"Really?"

Yumi asked with doubt.

"Yes, I promise. I won't let him ruin our date."

Sachiko said soothingly. Then she ushered Yumi to seat on the passenger's seat as she took the driver's seat.

"Wow! Oneesama I didn't know you already have a license."

Yumi was back to her cheerful mood. Sachiko, seeing this couldn't help herself from teasing her beloved.  
She leaned closer, her whole upper body hovering over Yumi. Yumi caught her breath as their faces were so close to each other. She didn't know what Sachiko was going to do and she couldn't take her eyes off those sapphire eyes and kissable lips as Sachiko's face continued descending towards hers. Yumi closed her eyes, waiting for Sachiko's kiss and then she heard a clicking sound. When she opened her eyes, Sachiko was back on her seat and putting on her seatbelt. Then Yumi noticed the strap across her upper body. It appeared that Sachiko just wanted to fastened her seatbelt for her. Yumi was blushing, feeling embarrassed for assuming that Sachiko was going to kiss her.

"Oneesama, where are we going?"

Yumi asked when Sachiko switched on the engine.

"It's a surprise."

That was Sachiko's only response.

Yumi wanted to press on the topic until Sachiko gives in but her curiosity was cut off when the car dashed off with a speed of lightning. No wonder why Sachiko made sure Yumi's seatbelt was fastened; it was because she cared for Yumi's life. Yumi thought that Kashiwagi was the worst driver in the world but Sachiko beat him in that category. Maybe awful driving skill runs in their family. All Yumi could do was hold on for dear life and pray that they get to their destination in one piece.

Yumi was in deep prayer when the car stopped abruptly. She opened her eyes and was relieved that they were not yet in a hospital. They were in an intersection and the traffic light was red.

"Yumi are you alright?"

Sachiko asked with concern when she glanced to her side and noticed Yumi's pale color.

"Oneesama, you ...uhm...drives fast."

Yumi said cautiously, she didn't want to offend her girlfriend.

"Ah, yes. The driving instructor told me I'm a natural."

"Eh?"

Sachiko proudly said. She thought Yumi was impressed by her driving.

Yumi was dumbfounded. What kind of instructor would let this daredevil to have a license.

'Maybe Oneesama used her charm to passed the driving exam.'

Not really. Sachiko didn't need to use her charm, her family's name was powerful enough to convince any driving instructor that she was capable of driving any kind of vehicle, whether it's a motorcycle or a ten-wheeler.

"He said, I should try car racing. He believes I have a talent for that sport. That's why Grandfather got me a sports-car."

Sachiko added. The instructor did say that but not to encourage her on driving. He said that to encourage Sachiko to drive on racetrack where there are less cars to crush into and less properties to damage. But Sachiko sees the highway as a racetrack which was why she drives like she's on Formula 1.

"But I'm not really into car-racing. I prefer car drifting as a hobby."

Sachiko said and Yumi came into a conclusion.

'So that's why she doesn't know how to properly turn. I wouldn't be surprised if Oneesama's favorite movie was "The Fast and the Furious."'

The traffic light went green and Yumi's roller coster-ride-to-death resumed.

* * *

A/N: The next part is longer than this. Can you guess where they'll go? Don't worry they won't end up in a hospital.


	10. THE DATE Part II

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. The first part of their date was a silly chapter. I don't know how to describe this next part. Is this chapter funny or cheesy? You decide.

**Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM**

* * *

**THE DATE**  
Part II

* * *

After a few minutes of that death-defying, life-risking, hair-raising, scary ride, Yumi felt the car slowing down. She was surprised when she realized where they were headed.

'This isn't what I had in mind but if this is what Oneesama wanted, then I guess it's alright.'

Yumi expected that Sachiko had prepared something special and romantic like a date on the mall or a stroll in an underwater park or even a date at the zoo. But her fantasies were shattered when a fast-food restaurant came into view.

'Maybe Oneesama finds our Valentines date so memorable so she wants us to repeat it.'

It didn't really matter where they'll go. As long as they're together, Yumi will be happy. But still, a fast-food restaurant on the "first date"? That was so unromantic! Yumi can't help but feel a bit disappointed.

And just when the smaller girl thought the car would be stopping any moment, they passed the parking lot and that confused her. The car continued driving at slow speed until it turned into a driveway. Yumi was shocked when she recognized the signage they passed. It was an arrow pointing into the direction they were driving into and below the arrow was the sign "Drive-thru".

Unbelievable! Who would have thought that Sachiko Ogasawara was aware that such a thing exists? Wasn't it just a few months ago when she tasted fast-food hamburger for the first time in her life? And because of that Yumi had the impression that her Oneesama was an alien, right? After such a short period of time, Sachiko had a progress, big progress. She's becoming more human or should I say more normal. Yumi was really astonished.

The car pulled up to the speaker and Sachiko clearly gave their order without even looking at the menu. It seemed she had already prepared herself on what to say.

"We'll have two cheeseburgers, two regular fries and two regular drinks please."

Yumi watched with pride as her girlfriend spoke through the speaker.

'The way Oneesama is ordering is so elegant and confident. She's so hot!'

She blushed at that thought. She couldn't help but notice how attractive and appealing her girlfriend was. And it was only then when she noticed how sexy Sachiko looked with her tight-fitting jeans and body-hugging blouse that showed every curve of her body. She didn't notice it earlier because Kashiwagi's presence made her upset and Sachiko's awful driving gave her trauma. But now that she had the time to leisurely stare at her gorgeous girlfriend, Yumi couldn't help but appreciate Sachiko's beauty. And she couldn't also help her body from blushing tremendously. Luckily, Sachiko wasn't facing her so the taller girl didn't notice Yumi's tomato-like face.

"Oneesama, have you ever been to a drive-thru before?"

Yumi asked in disbelief and fascination after Sachiko finished ordering.

"No, actually this is my first time."

Sachiko answered casually. What she said was true however, she was too shy to admit that she had done some research about it first.

"Wow! You did well, Oneesama."

"Really, you think so? Thank you Love."

Sachiko was overjoyed that she was able to impress her love.

Yumi blushed at the endearment. It reminded her of the current status of their relationship; that they were not just seours but more than seours.

The car headed to the claim window where a female staff politely greeted them. The staff said the price and Sachiko handed her credit card. Yumi was protesting; asking her Oneesama to let her pay. But Sachiko glared at her so Yumi conceded. They received their meal and drove away.

"Oneesama, where are we going to eat this?"

Yumi asked as she carefully held their meal on her lap. Sachiko was driving like she was on a racetrack again so Yumi had to grip their food tighter or else it would spill inside her Oneesama's expensive car.

"I said, it's a surprise right? But you don't have to wait that long to find out. We're almost there."

Sachiko said with a brilliant smile.

—0—

It was so peaceful and quiet as if they were in a huge cemetery. But despite the deafening silence, Yumi didn't find the place creepy. She didn't feel any fear even though they were the only ones there. On the contrary, she felt safe and secure because she was with the person she loved the most.

"Oneesama, I can't believe we we're allowed to get inside."

Yumi said with amazement.

"Shizuka-san and Shimako had their date here, so why can't we?"

Sachiko said with a soft smile.

They were inside the Rose Mansion. Earlier, Yumi was surprised when the car stopped in front of a huge familiar gate which she recognized as Lillian Academy's. Sachiko got off the car and talked to the guard on duty. After a few minutes, Sachiko's charm convinced him to let them in.

"Oneesama, what did you tell him?"

"I told him that we had some projects to do inside the Rose Mansion."

"Oneesama, you lied?"

Yumi asked scandalously.

"What, would you have preferred if I told him the truth? That I chose this place for our date because I knew that no one would be here to bother us?"

Sachiko said nonchalantly and Yumi reacted with a full blown blush that Sachiko very much appreciated.

"Thank you for the food, Oneesama."

Yumi said to change the subject. She wasn't just referring to the fast-food meal they bought from the drive-thru. Apparently, her girlfriend had prepared a picnic basket filled with delicious food and hid it inside the car trunk so Yumi was not aware of it until they got off the car.

"You didn't think I would let us eat only burgers and fries on our first date, didn't you"

Sachiko teased. She wanted to make their first date special and memorable so she carefully planned everything.

"Though I don't understand why we had to order from a drive-thru."

Yumi said with confusion.

"I just wanted to show you how much you influenced me, Yumi. Because of you I can now do ordinary things like that."

Hearing those words coming from her Oneesama was flattering for Yumi. She was always paying attention on how much Sachiko influenced her life that she failed to realize that she was also affecting her Oneesama's life.

"Yumi...Thank you."

Sachiko said sincerely. Yumi was confused for a moment. Why would Sachiko thank her when it was the taller girl who had prepared for everything?

"What are you thanking me for, Oneesama?"

"For coming to my life. If it weren't for you, I would not have experienced this kind of happiness. Do you know how fast my heart beats when we're together? Do you know that my day is incomplete without a glimpse of you?"

There was a playful smile on Sachiko's face as she was saying this so Yumi didn't know if she was really serious.

"Oneesama, please stop teasing me."

Yumi protested while blushing.

"It is not in my nature to fool around. Everything I say is true so please take me seriously."

The tall girl said sternly. Yumi was worried that she might have offended her love.

"Maybe you don't experience these things when we're together so you don't understand what I'm trying to say."

Sachiko said with a sad tone as she looked away from Yumi. Fear crossed Yumi's face at the thought that she really had gone too far.

'What have I done? She was trying to express her feelings and I was too shy to accept it. Stupid Yumi, do something!'

Yumi mentally berated herself.

"Oneesama that's not true. I understand how you feel. I have always been admiring you long before we became seours. And when you became my Oneesama, it didn't take long before that admiration turned into something more."

Yumi said emotionally as her hand reached for Sachiko's hand and held it gently. The tall girl then turned to face her.

"Oneesama, it's your face that wakes me up in the morning and the thought of you ushers me to sleep at night. Even in my dreams you're haunting me. And my whole world revolves around you because I made you the center of my life. Please don't be mad at me."

Yumi pleaded. Sachiko's face immediately brightened and a playful smile appeared again on her face.

"I'm just kidding. I already know you're head over heels for me. I just wanted to know how much."

Sachiko said with a soft chuckle. Yumi' eyes widened.

"You..you.."

"Tricked you into saying those things? Yes darling, I did. It's not fair that I'm the only one saying cheesy things in this relationship. You should also do your part."

Although Sachiko said it in a playful manner, it was enough for Yumi to understand what Sachiko wanted. Her girlfriend wanted to hear words of affection no matter how cheesy they may sound. Sachiko wanted Yumi to be more confident in expressing her love the way Sachiko had become open of her feelings. Yumi wanted to do that but something was preventing her. A part of her was still afraid of getting hurt.

"What about him?"

Yumi asked out of the blue. Her words were almost a whisper.

"Him? You mean—"

"Please don't say his name in front of me."

Yumi quickly cut Sachiko's words. She didn't want to hear that name because hearing it would only cause her pain. Personally, she refers to him as "He-who-must-not-be-named". He was not Lord Voldemort but he was the villain in Yumi's life and how she wished she could cast a spell that can make him vanish from Sachiko's life.

"Oh, you're jealous."

Sachiko said. She wasn't teasing, she was stating the obvious.

"Yes I'm jealous, in-secured and intimidated of him. Why wouldn't I be? After all he is your first love and there is nothing I can do to replace his special place in your heart. I know I don't stand a chance against him. What if he isn't really gay and realized he wanted you all along? Will you accept him?"

Yumi said with her eyes avoiding Sachiko's. The taller girl felt the pain Yumi was feeling. Yumi forced herself to ask that question even though she feared to hear the answer. She wanted to know where she stands.

"I did say I liked him. But I never said I loved him. Back then, I was fine with the idea of our marriage because I had no reason to object. He is intelligent, well-mannered, and good-looking and my family likes him. People say if he was a dress, he would fit me perfectly."

"But he told you he's gay so you cannot have him. But why would you settle for me instead? If I'm a dress I wouldn't fit you well."

"I would rather wear a simple dress that would make me feel happy and special than a fancy one that would make me look fine on the outside but empty inside."

Yumi tried to understand the depth of those words.

"How could I have loved him when I never knew what love was until I met you? Therefore, you are my first love...my first and only."

Sachiko explained as she gently caressed Yumi's cheek with the back of her hand.

"What if he isn't gay?"

Yumi asked again in a low voice.

"Nothing will change if that's the case. Do you not trust me? Do you think I would hurt you, Yumi?"

Sachiko said patiently but she said it with a stern voice and Yumi thought that Sachiko was getting annoyed. She realized that if she doesn't do anything about her insecurity, it would cause problem to their relationship.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

Like a child who had been scolded for asking too much, Yumi wanted to go to a corner and cry. Sachiko noticed Yumi's worried expression and she felt bad. She wanted their date to be filled with happy memories but Yumi was spoiling the moment so the tall wicked girl thought of something to change the mood.

"Yumi, if two persons who are madly in love with each other are left alone in a place where no one would hear them and with absolutely no one would bother them, what do you think they should do to kill time?"

Sachiko asked with an alarming glint in her eyes.

It sounded like a mathematical problem or an I.Q. Test so Yumi tried her best to come up with the best answer. It didn't even occur to her that Sachiko was referring to themselves and their current situation.

'What would two people do in that situation?'

Yumi asked herself.

"Uhmm..They should talk to past their time."

She answered. But that wasn't the answer her girlfriend wanted to hear.

"Yes, but what else?"

Yumi had no clue on what Sachiko was up to. And she couldn't concentrate on thinking of any other answer because Sachiko was causing a distraction. Sachiko was leaning closer and her eyes were staring straight at Yumi's. The older girl's face continued moving closer in a slow motion.

"What else, Yumi?"

Sachiko asked huskily with her lips mere inches from Yumi's. Her cool breath fanning the smaller girl's face and it sent tingle to Yumi's spine.

"W-What?"

Yumi asked after swallowing an imaginary lump in her throat.

"I'll show you."

That was Sachiko's husky response as she picked up a single fry on the table. They haven't finished eating the meal they bought. Using her fingers, Sachiko offered the fry to Yumi. The brunette shyly moved closer to take the offered food with her open mouth.

"Hold it there."

Sachiko said when she let go of the fry. Like a cigarette in Yumi's mouth, part of it was inside and the other part, outside. Then, Sachiko started raining kisses on Yumi's cheek. Dragging her lips down to Yumi's jaw, then kissing her chin. After a few more kisses on the chin, her kisses moved upwards on Yumi's other cheek.

Yumi remained seated like a statue as her girlfriend continued ravishing her face with affectionate kisses. They had never been this intimate and Yumi had a feeling that Sachiko was just getting started. Her body was trembling with excitement and nervousness.

When Sachiko's hand held her neck tighter while applying more pressure on her kisses, Yumi moaned and unintentionally bit the fry that was between her teeth. But because her mouth remained closed, the fry didn't fall.

Sachiko pulled away slightly to look Yumi in the eyes. She saw the burning desire in those hazel orbs mirroring the same desire in her own eyes. Sachiko deliberately moved her face closer slowly to take the other half of the fry with her open mouth. As she moved closer, the gap between them became shorter and Yumi closed her eyes, expecting Sachiko's lips to touch hers. With only a few millimeters separating them, Sachiko stopped and bit the fry.

Yumi opened her eyes in confusion and saw Sachiko properly sitting on her seat, sipping at her straw.

It was like what happened earlier inside the car. Yumi couldn't help but wonder whether Sachiko was teasing her or she was just too shy to kiss her on the lips.

Sachiko looked calm but in truth her body was on fire. She used every bit of strength she had to control her desire.

"Come, I have something to show you."

Sachiko said after drinking the cold refreshment she needed to put out the fire inside of her.

—0—

There was a statue of a crucified Jesus Christ and on its left was a full-colored statue of Maria. And to its right, a stained-glass window of brilliant colors. Long, wooden benches were on either side of the passage down to the middle. They were in the sanctuary inside Lillian Academy.

"Oneesama, what are we doing here?"

Yumi was bewildered.

"You're here to watch a performance."

Sachiko said smiling as she continued walking down the isle with Yumi in tow.

"Sit here."

Sachiko said, motioning Yumi to sit on the front bench.

Yumi obeyed and waited for Sachiko to sit with her but Sachiko just smiled and headed towards the organ.

'She's going to play the organ for me?'

Yumi thought with surprise and flattery. No one else was there because it was Sunday.

"**_I remember so well how I became her fan,_**

**_She looked like an angel when I saw her play the organ."_**

That line ran in Sachiko's head as she walked towards the organ. It was a line from Yumi's poem for her. The poem that Sachiko completely memorized by heart. She wanted to see how Yumi looked at her that day.

Sachiko sat in front of the organ and started playing Guno's Ave Maria, the same piece she played during last year's welcoming ceremony sponsored by the Yamayurikai . She played this piece for the previous freshmen but now she was playing it exclusively for Yumi.

"**_Her music was so divine that it captured this heart of mine._**

**_And her face was so serene, the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."_**

Yumi recalled this line as she listened intently to the beautiful melody Sachiko was playing. That music that was so divine sounded more captivating than the first time she heard it. Her captured heart was beating wildly as it acknowledges the presence of its captor. Yumi was hypnotized by the music and by the serene face of an angel playing the organ. That angelic creature met her gaze and Yumi's heart melted.

'My blue-eyed angel'

She thought to herself as she continued to drown into that majestic sapphire gaze. The first time she witnessed this performance, Yumi felt admiration . She wanted to be like Sachiko or to get even an inch closer to being that person. But now, her desire had changed, she doesn't want to be like Sachiko anymore, and she wants to keep Sachiko for herself. It was her deepest desire.

Her angel stopped playing but the music remained echoing on Yumi's heart. She could still hear it as Sachiko was slowly approaching her.

"Did you like my performance, Love?"

Sachiko asked with a soft smile as she stood in front of Yumi. The younger girl just stared up at her with a mesmerized expression. She didn't even realized the tears falling from her eyes. She was only awakened from her dreamy state when she felt a soft hand caressing her cheek, wiping her tears away.

"I love you."

Yumi subconsciously blurted out as she held that hand that was cupping her cheek. Sachiko smiled warmly. She grasped Yumi's hand and guided her to stand up. After a few steps, they were standing in front of the altar. They stood there, facing each other with hands intertwined.

"In front of Maria-sama I asked you to be my seour. She was there watching when I placed my rosary on your neck, making you part of my life. Do you remember that night?"

"Yes, I do."

"And now, here, in front of her, and her Son and our God Almighty, I am pouring out my heart to you. Here I am, all of me, loving you completely. You know why?"

"..."

"Because you...complete me."

Sachiko said with sincerity. That confession quickly wiped away any lingering doubt left on Yumi's heart. She couldn't find the right words to describe what she was feeling. It seemed that there wasn't any word that could explain her emotion so she chose a better way to express her happiness.

Without thinking, or having any hesitation, Yumi placed both of her hands on Sachiko's shoulder. She tip-toed and kissed the taller girl. It was a quick and gentle kiss like the one she gave to Sachiko one afternoon inside the latter's homeroom. The difference was that Yumi didn't kiss Sachiko on the cheek but on the lips.

Sachiko was taken by surprise by this bold action and before she could have reacted to that wonderful sensation she felt, Yumi pulled away.

"I love you Sachiko."

Yumi said with great conviction as she locked her gaze with her girlfriend's eyes.

Hearing Yumi say her name without any honorific sounded beautiful in Sachiko's ears. And the three words that came before it added to its beauty.

Instead of saying anything in response, Sachiko expressed herself through actions.

Her hands held the smaller girl's waist pulling her body closer. Her head tilted down and captured Yumi's lips with a firm kiss.

Yumi's hand that were on the taller girl's shoulders moved and settled on Sachiko's nape and pulled down her girlfriend's face towards her. Sachiko was pleased with this action and when she felt Yumi kissing her back she couldn't help but return that kiss with more passion. Though they were both beginners when it came to kissing, it didn't matter because they're kisses were manifestation of their love so everything felt right and wonderful.

_To be continued..._

* * *

_A/N: _I'm sorry if I'm going to leave you hanging. I tried to continue this but every time I try writing something, my mind wonders off to other things. I'm facing a lot of problems lately so I think it's going to take me several months (maybe a year) to update this story. I don't know how long it will take but I promise I'll be back to finish what I started here. I just hope you will still remember this fic by then. _Goodbye for now my friends.  
_


	11. DESIRE

A/N: Kamusta! It's been a while. I'm here to fulfill my promise. There were times when I wanted to give up this story because I'm feeling lazy or just losing confidence. But I feel that I have this responsibility to my readers so I have to continue. And every time someone adds this story to his/her story alert it makes me more determined. So, thank you guys. Anyway, let's move on with the story. This chapter is not quite significant compared to the previous ones. There is neither drama nor any mystery here. I tried to improve my grammar to express my ideas better so I hope you'll enjoy reading.

**I do not own MSGM**

* * *

**DESIRE**

* * *

_"I love you."_

She murmurs continuously as she lies on top of me. I feel her lips ravishing my neck with gentle yet hungry kisses. Her body—so soft, so firm, so naked, slides upon my sweating bare figure. I shake and tremble as I desperately try to calm myself and control the lustful desire I've had for her for such a long time.

_"Mmmmh..."_

_"Aaaaaah..."_

I couldn't help but moan. It's as if my whole body has become very sensitive. Every touch of hers has a tingling effect on me. And the more she rubs her body against mine, the more I feel the need to press my body against hers even harder. I want her so badly and the fact that she desires me as well only makes me want to give myself completely.

_"Saachiiikoo..."_

I say panting. It's getting hard to breathe with the excitement and nervousness I'm feeling. I close my eyes, bite my lower lip and try to relax. Her kisses slowly descend from my neck to my collarbone, to my chest. Her hands cup each of my breasts and I catch my breath. She fondles them and seems to enjoy the feeling of my two small mounds upon her palms. After a moment, her hands leave my bosoms and she moves lower. She parted my legs and settled her head between them. She trails soft kisses from my knee to the inside of my thigh; moving slowly to reach a certain destination.

My body is burning with desire for her. There's a pressure building inside of me and I need her to release it. It won't be long now. She's getting near her goal and when she gets there, I 'm sure she will send me over the edge.

"Yumi."

Her movements stop and she calls my name.

"Yumi."

I hear again my name.

"Yumi."

She calls again and she sounds irritated. Wait, why does her voice sounds different?

"Yumi."

I slowly open my eyes but the face that greets me is not of my blue-eyed angel's but rather...

"Yuuki!"

Yumi woke up with a start. She quickly sat up and looked around with a dazed expression.

"Finally you're awake. Get up now or you'll be late for school."

Yuuki ordered his older sister who was still in a dreamy state. It took a few more seconds for Yumi's brain to function properly and when it did she realized that she was in her own bedroom and her brother was there, waking her up from an erotic dream.

"Why...What are you doing here Yuuki?"

She asked scandalously. She was annoyed not only because her brother entered her room without her permission again but mainly because Yuuki interrupted her from such a wonderful dream.

"Hey, what's with the attitude? You should be thankful that I bothered waking you."

Yuuki argued.

It was Monday morning when Mrs. Fukuzawa had a feeling that her daughter has overslept because it was already time for breakfast but Yumi hasn't come down from her room yet. So she asked her son to wake Yumi up.

"You should have just knocked on the door."

"Well, I did. Several times actually. But I didn't get any answer. Then I heard you babbling and there were these weird noises and I thought you were having a nightmare so I rushed in to wake you."

Yuuki explained.

"B-Babbling? What was I saying? And what noises?"

Yumi asked, feeling nervous.

'Did he hear me calling out Oneesama's name? And what noises? My moans? Oh no... This is too embarrassing.'

She remembered about the erotic dream she had. And who was in her dream with her and what they were doing. Just thinking about it made her feel warm and made her whole body tingle.

"I don't know. You were peacefully sleeping when I entered so I think you were not having a nightmare after all."

Yuuki said

Yumi was relieved to hear this. No matter how great that dream was, she would never share it to anyone. She reminded herself to keep her room locked from now on.

—0—

"Yoshino-san, please stop staring at me."

Yumi said, feeling uncomfortable with intensity of Yoshino's gaze. They were in the Rose Mansion along with Rei when she noticed the braided girl looking at her curiously like she was some kind of endangered species.

"Something is different about you."

"What do you mean?"

"You look...happy."

Yoshino said with confusion and disbelief.

"What's wrong with that? Is it unusual of me to be happy?"

"But you're glowing with happiness. Last week, you seemed to be bothered by something but now you look so cheerful. What's going on?"

Yoshino said, demanding an explanation.

"Yoshino let her be."

"But Rei-chan, she's hiding something."

"Let her be. If Yumi-chan really is hiding something, then I think it is up to her if she wants to share it with us."

"Why are you defending her? Hmp! You were supposed to be my ally."

Yumi managed to escape Yoshino's interrogation because the braided girl's attention was transferred on her cousin.

It didn't take long for the other council members to arrive. Sachiko entered the room and greeted everyone with a sweet "Gokigenyo" and pleasant smile. When her eyes met Yumi's gaze, her wide smile became wider.

Yumi's heart almost jumped out her chest just by seeing that smile. No, not just the smile but the person smiling at her. It was only yesterday when they were together but to her it felt as if they haven't seen each other for such a long time. She remembered about their date. How touched she was when Sachiko played the organ for her, how her heart melted when Sachiko confessed her love for her in front of the altar inside the sanctuary and how amazing she felt when they kissed for several minutes.

'Kiss. I want to do that again.'

The thought came to her as she stared at Sachiko's lips.

"Gokigenyo, Yumi."

Those lips she was staring at moved and she heard her name. This awakened Yumi from her day-dreaming.

"G-Gokigenyo, Oneesama."

Yumi greeted belated. She couldn't even look directly at Sachiko's eyes. She suddenly felt very shy. Yumi tried to act as normal as she could so quickly stood up to prepare tea for her beloved Oneesama.

"Yoshino-san, what happened to you?"

Shimako asked after taking her seat and noticing her friend looking irritated.

"It's Yumi-san's fault. She's hiding something and Rei-chan is defending her."

Shimako couldn't tell whether Yoshino was annoyed because Yumi was hiding something or because Rei was defending her. Perhaps both.

"I'm not hiding anything."

Yumi said defensively after returning to her seat.

"Of course you are. It's written all over your face. Come on; tell me why you're in such a great mood."

Yoshino said stubbornly.

"Maybe it's because of our date yesterday."

Sachiko said to no one in particular. This caught everyone's attention. They all looked at her as if wondering if it was really her who spoke.

"Date?"

Yoshino asked after convincing herself that it was really what she heard.

"That's right. Our first date."

Sachiko answered briefly.

"First date?"

Yoshino dumbly asked.

"As a couple, I mean."

She quickly added, meaning to explain herself clearly. Rei, Shimako and Noriko were shocked at first but they quickly recovered. Yoshino was speechless for a moment as if trying to analyze what the word "couple" means but when she finally understood, she turned to her fellow buoton.

"Yumi-san, I'm hurt. How could you keep this from me? I thought we were friends?"

She stated trying to look offended but her performances was not convincing because she couldn't restrain her lips from smiling. She was clearly teasing her friend.

"Oneesama!"

Yumi turned to Sachiko. The way their friends were looking at her was making her feel uncomfortable and her girlfriend was to blame.

"What? Was that supposed to be a secret?"

Sachiko asked with a straight face. Yumi didn't know how to react. She was worrying so much on how she could keep their relationship a secret but come to think of it, they never had an agreement that they would keep their relationship discreet. So in short, Yumi wasted all her time and effort worrying about something she shouldn't have worried about.

"I think it would be more convenient for us if our friends are aware of the real status of our relationship."

Sachiko softly explained. Then, not minding the presence of their friends, she leaned closer and kissed Yumi's forehead as if assuring her that everything will be fine.

"Sachiko-sama is right. No matter how hard you try to hide it, you're face will eventually betray you."

Yoshino teased.

"I guess you're right."

Yumi conceded. It's not that she doesn't want their friends to know, she just never imagined that Sachiko would want them to know. Somehow she was flattered that Sachiko was not ashamed of their relationship.

"We're happy for you, Yumi-chan and Sachiko. Congratulations."

The couple was glad to have their friends' approval.

"Why don't we make a toast?"

Rosa Foetida stood up and raised her cup.

"For Sachiko and Yumi-chan who finally had the courage to commit themselves into a relationship."

A toast to straight Darjeeling tea. Sachiko poured herself another cup, stood up and spoke.

"Second, as commemoration of the moment I made Yumi mine."

"Pbbt."

Yumi barely managed herself from blowing tea out of her mouth. Sachiko caught everyone off-guard with that statement. Her friends didn't know how they should interpret those words or whether their interpretation was the same as Sachiko's. As for Yumi, the phrasing "made Yumi mine" was a major turn-on. She was a bit embarrassed but at the same time she felt warm, flattered and...Aroused?

She suddenly remembered the dream she had that morning. Although she has loved and desired Sachiko for such a long time, she had never dreamed of her that way. She has always been restraining herself from having indecent thoughts about Sachiko but now she wondered why she suddenly had that dream. Is it because now that they're a couple she wants their relation to be on a higher level?

'What does she mean by that? Could it be that she also thinks of us doing...Is she expecting us someday to...?'

Yumi couldn't finish her thought. She didn't want to assume things immediately.

Because Yumi had come close to blowing tea, the area around her lips was wet. And when Sachiko saw this, she quickly shifted from Oneesama mode to girlfriend mode. She pulled out her gorgeous white-lace handkerchief and affectionately wiped her girlfriend's lips.

"I'm sure Oneesama would have said the same thing if she was here."

Sachiko said as she wiped Yumi's lips.

Perhaps she remembered Youko's statement when Sachiko made Yumi her seour and she decided to copy it.

'Well Yumi is not completely mine yet but eventually...'

She couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Ahem..."

Yoshino purposely coughed to get the "lovebirds" attention. Yumi and Sachiko were looking at each other as if there was no one else around.

"Are you going to be open about your relationship even outside the Yamayurikai?"

Rei asked when Sachiko sat properly on her seat, not facing Yumi anymore.

Yumi eagerly waited for Sachiko's answer. She wouldn't mind if the whole school finds out about them. She would bravely face any criticism or judgment people will throw unto them. She would fight for Sachiko because she was worth it.

"No, I don't want us to cause a trend."

Was Sachiko's simple reply.

"Trend?"

"Yeah, like what you did during the Yellow Rose Revolution."

"Yellow Rose revolution?"

That was Noriko who asked. Being a freshman, she was not aware of this incident that happened a year ago.

"It's an article published by the newspaper club when Yoshino-san returned Rei-sama's rosary."

Shimako kindly explained to her seour.

"And because of that many petite seours followed her example by returning their rosaries to their Oneesamas but eventually their relationship reconciled when Yoshino-san asked for Rei-sama's rosary back."

Yumi added.

"Hey, what does that have to do with you guys?"

Yoshino said, wanting to avoid the topic.

"I don't understand it either, Oneesama?"

Yumi said in confusion.

"Yumi-chan, what do you think would happen if the students find out that your relationship has evolved into something more that sisterly."

Rosa Foetida asked. She seemed to have understood what Sachiko meant. Yumi took a moment before saying...

"Umm...Oneesama's fan girls would kill me?"

Yumi said nervously as if fearing for her life.

"Of course not."

Sachiko said with a faint laugh.

"Yumi-chan, many students look up to you and Sachiko. Many seour relationships might turn into romantic ones to follow your example."

Compared to the Foetida sisters, the Chinensis sisters have more followers so it is possible that this might happen.

"I don't want the newspaper club to find out about this. Who knows, Minako-san might come up with some kind of article like "The Red Rose Romance." And the school administration is also my concern. I don't want them to interfere."

Sachiko stated.

"We understand. You're secret is safe with us Sachiko-sama."

"Yes we promise."

The Gigantea sisters assured.

"We can keep our mouth shut but the question is can Yumi-san's face keep a secret?"

Yoshino continued her teasing.

"I'm sure Yumi would do her best. Right, Love?"

Sachiko lovingly asked her girlfriend. The younger girl was shocked to hear that endearment from Sachiko in front of their friends so she couldn't respond immediately.

"And you're answer?"

Sachiko sternly asked waiting for Yumi to give the response she wanted to hear. Most of the times, Yumi is so dense when it comes to understanding Sachiko's messages. But it seems that she's starting to understand Sachiko's pattern of thinking. She realized that her girlfriend is trying to express her affection even in front of others. It was only right for Yumi to show her appreciation for this action and what better way to do it but to do her part. So after swallowing a lump in her throat, she said...

"Y-Yes, L-Love."

The pig-tailed girl shyly replied. Her face redder than it had ever been before. What she didn't know was that her flushing state makes her more appealing to her girlfriend's eyes.

'So cute. I can't wait to be alone with you.'

Sachiko thought with a satisfied smile as she longingly stared at Yumi.

Their friends didn't interrupt the couple's display of affection. They just sat there and enjoyed the show. After all, it's not very often that they would get to see this side of the very firm and proper Sachiko Ogasawara.

—0—

_**Lunch hour...**_

"So you're having lunch again in that old greenhouse, eh?"

Yoshino stated as she and Yumi walked out the second year Pine class.

"I can't blame you for wanting to have some privacy."

She added with a teasing tone.

"Whaa... It's not like that. You see, it's really nice there especially during this season. It's quiet and relaxing and the smell of the flowers..."

Yumi babbled defensively.

"Don't be modest. I totally understand if you want to have some quality time with your girl..."

Yumi was quick enough to put her hand on Yoshino's mouth before the latter could have finished her sentence.

"Shh...You said you would keep your mouth shut. Do you really want our secret to get exposed?"

Yumi whispered panicking before taking off her hand.

"Hmp. You worry too much. Fine, I won't mention it again but on one condition."

The braided girl said with a devious smile.

"What condition?"

Yumi asked wondering what her friend wanted now.

"I need details."

"Details?"

"Uh huh. Tell me how long have you been dating, who proposed to whom and where."

Yoshino enthusiastically asked. Yumi realized that her friend wouldn't stop nagging so she decided to answer as briefly as she could just to make her friend satisfied.

"Well, it was Oneesama who proposed but it took me a week to respond."

Yumi said with a soft voice.

"That's not good enough! I need to hear the whole story."

Yoshino demanded. She was acting like a newspaper club member who had just stumbled upon a big scoop.

"Yoshino-san, I don't think this is the proper place and time to talk about it."

Yumi said, trying to calm her fellow buoton as she surveyed their surroundings, making sure that no one had heard their conversation.

"Very well, let's talk about it later. But first, tell me..."

The braided girl lowered her voice and leaned closer to Yumi.

"...how far have you and Sachiko-sama gone to?"

She asked in a whisper.

Yumi, being confused of what her friend meant took a moment to answer.

"Umm...Yesterday, we had our date in the Rose Mansion but we ordered food on a drive-through first. That's not quite far though."

Yumi answered innocently as she reminisce that memory.

"Are you playing dumb with me? Seriously, I can't believe how naive you are."

Yoshino said in frustration.

"Hey! What do you mean by that?"

"What I want to know is how intimate your relationship is. Have you kissed?"

Yumi was surprised by the question. She couldn't say no because she is a person who doesn't have the ability to lie. She couldn't say yes either because she was too shy to admit it.

"So, you have. I knew it."

Yoshino said. Just by judging Yumi's facial reaction she could already tell what her friend was thinking.

"Have you done anything more than kissing?"

She inquired with a devious grin.

Yumi was shocked at this question. She wasn't prepared for this. She didn't expect Yoshino or anyone would be so blunt to ask her something this personal.

"Wow, she's fast. I can't believe she already had her way with you."

Yoshino commented when Yumi wasn't able to give her any response.

"H-How can you say that? I didn't confirm anything."

Yumi protested.

"Well, silence means yes and you were silent."

"It's not like what you're thinking. We've never... I mean..."

Yumi trailed off. It's true that they haven't done anything more intimate than kissed however because of that dream she had that morning she felt that she was guilty of denying that accusation.

"Ha ha ha... You're really fun to tease Yumi-san. I'm sorry. I just couldn't help it."

Yoshino started laughing ignoring her friend who was glaring at her.

—0—

Carrying her bento, Yumi entered the old greenhouse. As soon as she stepped inside, a very sweet and melodious voice called her.

"Yumi."

She turned to greet the owner of that voice.

"Oneesama, have I kept you waiting."

She asked worriedly as she took in the sight of a fairy sitting on a ledge. Yumi stepped closer and sat beside that fairy.

"No. But I have to admit, I was anxiously waiting for you."

Sachiko said smiling.

"Why?"

Yumi asked with a puzzled expression.

"Because I missed you, silly."

Sachiko answered as she wrapped her arms on Yumi's shoulders, hugging the younger girl tightly like she was a stuffed animal.

"I know we were together this morning but I couldn't help myself from wanting to be with you again."

She added as she continued to enjoy the smaller girl's warmth. Yumi might find it hard to believe but her girlfriend was really smitten over her. Sachiko couldn't stop thinking about her. During class period that morning, she wasn't paying attention on the lecture but it wasn't obvious because she always seemed to be busy jotting down notes on her notebook. But what her teachers didn't know was that Sachiko wasn't writing down words related to any of her subjects. If they would take a look at her notes, they would see hearts drawn with either Yumi's name or both of their names written inside them. Some even have the word "FOREVER" included. She was definitely acting like a teenage girl experiencing love for the first time. Wait, she is a teenage girl experiencing love for the first time. But no one would have expected Sachiko to be acting according to her age. She has always had the mind or maturity of a 30 year old grown-up. But having Yumi in her life brought out the youth in her although it wouldn't be good for her grades if this continues or gets worse.

"I missed you too, Oneesama."

The blushing girl replied. Hearing this, Sachiko pulled away slightly to look at her seour's face directly.

"Oneesama? Not Sachiko?"

Sachiko said, raising an eyebrow. Though she never imposed on Yumi to address her by her name, she would really be pleased if Yumi would do so.

"I missed you too, S-Sachiko."

The shy girl corrected to please her love. To Yumi, calling Sachiko by her name is overwhelming. It makes her feel that their relationship is more intimate and that in that relationship they are equal. But she wasn't fully comfortable calling her by her name.

"That's better."

Sachiko said with a satisfied smile.

"Why don't we eat. I'm quite hungry Oneesama."

Yumi was unable to hold herself from addressing Sachiko the way she was used to. You can't blame her. She's been calling Sachiko "Oneesama" for almost a year so you can't expect her to easily forget that habit.

"I'll go wash my hands."

Yumi managed to escape Sachiko's grasped and hopped off of the ledge and walked a short distance to the water supply. Then she twisted the only knob and started washing her hands.

"Are you running away from me, Darling?"

A jolt of electricity ran into Yumi's body when she felt Sachiko hugging her from behind. She felt the taller girl's arms around her waist.  
She shivered when Sachiko burried her face in the crook of her neck and deeply inhaled. Yumi's knees buckled when the taller girl exhaled and her breath tickled the younger girl's neck, sending shivers to her entire body.

"Mmm...Peaches."

Sachiko murmured with her eyes closed and her face still buried on Yumi's neck.

"Huh?"

Yumi asked, wondering if Sachiko wanted to eat peaches or her girlfriend was giving her a pet name.

"You smell like peaches. So sweet."

Sachiko stated, hugging Yumi more tightly. She had always liked Yumi's scent. After all, it was the first thing that caught her attention about the girl.

"You know, I love peaches. I wonder, do you also taste like one?"

"What?"

"Well, you smell like peaches so it would only be natural if you taste like one. Do you mind if I take a bite?"

Sachiko said playfully.

'Why is she suddenly acting like this? But come to think of it, she's been behaving this way recently. She's becoming more aggressive now that we're a couple. I guess this is only normal now that we're girlfriends. Does this mean that she desires me that way? Is it really possible for that dream to become reality?'

Yumi was mentally analyzing Sachiko's behavior when she felt a sudden pain on her collarbone followed by a soothing tongue. She squealed in surprised.

"Sachiko?"

She exclaimed in protest.

"I asked if I could take a bite but you didn't answer. Silence means yes, you know?"

Sachiko reasoned.

"So, that is all I have to do to hear you say my name."

Sachiko said with a wicked grin and a glint in her eyes.

"Don't worry Yumi. That spot is unnoticeable. It's completely covered by your collar. I can place another one if you'd let me."

She said seductively making Yumi blush even more.

"Only if you let me do the same to you, my dear Sachiko."

Yumi countered subconsciously. She had no idea why she said that. I t just slipped off her lips.

"My, how bold. Perhaps you've always wanted to do that but you were just too shy to ask. Is there anything more than that you're wanting to do?'

Having read her thoughts, Yumi felt shy and wanted to save herself from further embarrassment.

"Whaa...No it's not like that."

Yumi squirmed and turned around to face her girlfriend.

"That's not true. I never..."

Yumi tried explaining herself but was quickly cut off when her lips were silenced by Sachiko's as her head was firmly held to keep her in place. They shared a very passionate kiss that left them both breathless.

"I'm just teasing you. But please don't hold yourself from showing any affection towards me from now on, alright?"

Sachiko said panting. The smaller girl simply nods as she was still having a hard time catching her breath and steadying her heart beat.

"And just for the record, you don't taste like peaches."

Sachiko said looking disappointed that resulted to Yumi's worried expression. Sachiko cupped her cheeks with both hands and said with a teasing smile...

"You taste better."

She said huskily before capturing Yumi's lips with hers.

After a few minutes of their kissing session, Yumi's stomach loudly protested so they reluctantly separated and proceeded with their meal.

_**To be continued...**_

* * *

A/N: I missed your reviews and I really want to hear your comments. I have some ideas for the next chapters and there's going to be a lot of surprises.

And you might want to vote on my poll.


	12. COMPLICATION

A/N: I can't believe it's been a year since I posted the very first chapter of this story. To everyone who's been following this, I'm sorry to say that I think it will take me a few more months to finish this. Will you stick with me until then?

**Disclaimer: I do not own MSGM**

* * *

**COMPLICATIONS**

* * *

"Sachiko, are you sure about this?"

Yumi nervously asked as she stood fidgeting in the middle of Sachiko's luxurious room. Her current predicament prevented her from admiring the elegance of her Oneesama's chamber.

"I'm sorry that I dragged you here all of a sudden."

The owner of the room said as she sat up from the bed and slowly approached her love. She could sense the smaller girl's hesitation.

"I know you have not prepared yourself for this. It's much unexpected for me too."

She softly said with a seductive smile as her smooth hand reached out and caressed the smaller girl's cheek.

"I don't want you to leave but if that is what you want, you are free to go."

The raven-haired calmly said. She would never force the younger girl into something that is against her will. She told herself that she would respect and accept her girlfriend's decision whatever it may be.

"It's not that I don't want to be here...I was actually looking forward for this but...I just never imagined it to be so soon."

Yumi shyly explained. She hoped that Sachiko would understand why she was having second thoughts. For her, it was a very difficult situation to be in. She was very confused with what she was feeling. She was excited yet frightened at the same time.

"I'm scared..."

Yumi said in a low voice as she averted her gaze from Sachiko.

"Yes, I understand, maybe next time? Just tell me when you're ready."

Sachiko said with a forced smile that tried to hide her disappointment. She was about to retract her hand from the smaller girl's cheek but the girl gently grabbed it. Yumi slowly shook her head and lovingly smiled at her girlfriend.

"I'm scared but for you, there is nothing I would not do. I'm willing to do anything that would please you."

The girl said before lightly pressing her lips on the hand she was holding. Those words were said with so much love and affection that caused Sachiko's heart to throb painfully.

"I know that what will happen tonight may affect our relationship in a positive way but I don't have much self-confidence. I'm afraid I might do something clumsy that would disappoint you. But I'm sure you will guide me so everything will be fine. I trust you and I want to prove my love for you."

The pig-tailed girl confessed with her cheeks turning red. She made up her mind and decided to take a step, a big step in their relationship. She realized that it had always been the older girl who had contributed much to their relationship. Sachiko was the one who confessed and persuaded her to give them a chance. And it was also Sachiko who boldly showed affection towards her even in front of their friends. Indeed, Sachiko was the one who had put so much effort to make their relationship work. Yumi wanted to reciprocate her girlfriend's feelings and show her gratitude in any way she could. If she could make Sachiko happy by giving in to this request, then she had no reason to refuse.

"Thank you."

Sachiko said smiling with appreciation. Gazing down at those expressive brown eyes she saw Yuma's overwhelming love for her. She felt so blessed knowing that the person she loves the most loves her just as much and was willing to do anything for her. The raven-haired beauty leaned down and gently kissed the other girl's lips.

"Are you ready?"

Sachiko asked after their lips parted. She stared at Yumi's face intently, trying to see whether there was still any sign of hesitation on the younger girl. But she didn't find any. All she saw was Yumi's undying love and devotion for her. The smaller girl simply nodded, indicating her approval.

"Don't be frightened my Love."

Sachiko said coolly. She looked so calm and confident but actually she was just as nervous. She was also experiencing the same excitement and fear that Yumi was feeling. But she mustn't show any sign of weakness in front of her love. She knew that Yumi was depending on her, that Yumi was drawing confidence from her.

Her hands slowly crept and traced the pig-tailed girl's sailor collar until they reached her scarf. Still gazing straight at Yumi's eyes, Sachiko slowly untied the knot with her slightly trembling fingers. Fixing her petite seour's tie has been a daily habit for Sachiko, no, not a habit but rather, a mannerism. She had been fixing Yumi's scarf at least twice a day for over a year that she had unknowingly mastered the art of it. It's amazing how she could tie Yumi's scarf in a perfect knot while looking at Yumi's face instead of the scarf. Perhaps, she could even tie it with her eyes closed. This simple loving gesture never failed to calm her.

"We've already come this far, it would be a shame if we go back now."

Yumi said after gathering a considerable amount of courage. She was still trying to figure out how they arrived to that situation.

_**Flashback...**_

That afternoon, Sachiko invited Yumi to the Ogasawara mansion and had the family driver picked them up after school. The smaller girl was thrilled with the idea of having a chance to spend some quality time with her girlfriend. She imagined Sachiko and her having tea on the garden, surrounded by fragrant flowers and a beautiful scenery inside the Ogasawara estate. They would chat, laugh and enjoy each other's company.

'Then, Oneesama will invite me to her room. She will show me her personal things like her photo album, her favorite books, her piano, her queen-sized bed...Why would I want to see her bed?'

Yumi argued with herself when that thought came to mind.

'No, no, I'm not interested about the bed. I'm more interested on her photo albums. I want to see her baby pictures. I'm sure she was very cute as a child.'

Yumi thought dreamily as she imagined the cute image of a mini-Sachiko. (A four-year old rich girl who can kill anyone with her death glare)

'I also want to see her closet. I wonder what other kind of clothes she wears.'

Sachiko never fails to fascinate Yumi with her appearance. Whether in her uniform, or wearing a kimono or just plain jeans and shirt, she always looked like a goddess in Yumi's eyes.

'I want to see her kimonos, jeans, trousers, lingerie...'

Yumi's face flamed at her train of thought.

'No, not lingerie. I mean lounge area. They sound quite a like so I always get confused that's all.'

The girl explained to herself defensively.

'But I would rather be with her in her room than in the lounge area of their house. There is more privacy there. We could talk about personal things without anyone interrupting. '

It was an innocent idea at first but slowly turned into a provocative one.

'We could embrace...and...Make out...and...'

Yumi's face immediately flushed and her body temperature has gradually risen due to excitement as her imagination went wild especially when she remembered the dream she had that morning.

'Stop it Yumi! You shouldn't be entertaining these dirty thoughts. What would she think of you, that you're a pervert?'

Her conscience berated her and ordered her to dismiss the thought.

'What if she has a motive in inviting me?'

Yumi wondered for a moment as she glanced at the gorgeous young woman sitting beside her on the back seat of the car. Graceful, feminine, elegant, and pure, Sachiko is the epitome of being a lady. She looks divine, with an image that resembles Maria-sama.

'Oneesama would never think of such a thing, foolish me.'

Even though the older girl has been more aggressive and affectionate towards her recently, Yumi still sees Sachiko as a conservative and proper lady, someone who will never sexually desire anyone. Then again, looks can be deceiving. She can never tell what's going on in that lovely head of Sachiko. She continued gazing at the object of her affection, trying to read her thoughts.

"Yes?"

Sachiko asked when she caught Yumi staring at her intently. She assumed that Yumi wanted to say something.

Like a deer caught on headlight, Yumi jerked in surprise.

"Wuah...N-Nothing. I just...uhmm...wanted to thank you for inviting me."

Was Yumi's staggering response. She hates lying to her Oneesama but she couldn't possibly say "Are you planning to seduce me or are you going to rape me?"

"Hmm...I wonder if that's true."

The older girl said with a mischievous grin that made Yumi more nervous.

"You seem to be thinking of something else. Could it be you're wondering why I'm taking you to our house? Are you suspicious of my motives?"

The girl spoke innocently but Yumi sensed the malice in her words. Sachiko nailed it and Yumi was dumbfounded.

'Oh, my God! My girlfriend is an esper. She can read my mind. Wait, everyone can read my thoughts because of my face. It's not fair!'

Yumi wanted to jump out of the car and run as far as her feet would permit her. It was too embarrassing. She wanted to dig a hole and bury herself underground.

"Mother wants to see you. She asked me to invite you for dinner."

Sachiko said nonchalantly when Yumi failed to respond from her previous question.

"Y-Yes, exactly. That was what I was thinking."

Yumi answered and sighed with relief. She was glad that Sachiko didn't see through her after all. At least that was what she thought. Actually, her girlfriend was laughing inside. Sachiko knew what the younger girl was thinking because she was thinking of the same thing. She couldn't resist not teasing poor Yumi but she didn't want to embarrass her either so she decided to change the topic.

As soon as they arrived to the mansion, Sayako welcomed Yumi with open arms. It was a very warm welcome, as if it had been a decade since she had last seen this girl. She wanted Yumi to feel that she is part of their family. After all, this girl is her daughter's reason for living. So to make her daughter happy, she must accept Yumi wholeheartedly. It's not that she didn't like Yumi, it's actually the opposite. She liked Yumi from the start as her daughter's petite seour but now she has accepted Yumi as the most important person in Sachiko's life.

"I'm so glad to see you again, Yumi-chan."

Sayako said joyfully as she enveloped Yumi in a warm embrace.

"It's nice to see you again Sayako-obasama."

Yumi said honestly. She has so much love and respect for this woman not just because she is the mother of the girl she loves but also because of the kind of person she is. A woman with great humility despite her high status in the society. That is how she sees Sayako.

'I wonder if she would still hug me like this when she finds out that I'm not just her daughter's little sister.'

Yumi somehow felt guilty for hiding their relationship but she knew it was necessary. She just hoped that Sayako would accept them eventually.

"Mother, we're going to have tea in our garden. Would you like to join us?"

The youngest Ogasawara said. She couldn't help but smile and be happy seeing the two most important women in her life getting along so well.

"No, I'm fine. I'm busy preparing our dinner tonight."

Yumi tried to imagine Sachiko's mother wearing an apron while chopping meat and vegetables but it was impossible. It's easier to imagine her wearing a kimono or an elegant dress than an apron.

'Does a woman like her have the ability to hold a knife?'

"Our cooks have a new specialty and I want to try it first and make sure it will suit our taste. After all, we have a very special guess tonight."

Sayako spoke, cutting off Yumi's confusion.

"I hope you have already asked your parents' permission to have dinner here with us tonight, Yumi-chan."

The woman turned to the brunette and smiled warmly.

"I'll give them a call immediately. I'm sure they will have no problem with it."

Yumi assured.

"Very well, enjoy your tea. I'll see you later."

With a loving smile, the woman left the two teenage-girls.

The afternoon went smoothly according to how Yumi had imagined it to. Well, actually it was better than she had imagined because they didn't just had tea in the garden, they also had cake. Her sweet girlfriend even insisted to feed her cake using her own fork. Yumi, being the shy girl that she was rejected the offer many times for fear that a housemaid or worse Sachiko's mother might see them. They chatted, laughed and enjoyed each other's company. And when the sky started turning gray and the air started getting cold, Sachiko suggested for them to head inside the house. And that was how Yumi ended up in Sachiko's bedroom.

As soon as she stepped inside the room, she immediately remembered what she had on her mind when they were in the car. She couldn't believe how accurate things were happening. Is it possible that the dream she had that morning was actually a premonition of what was about to happen that night? For a moment, she even wondered if she had discovered that she has the ability to see the future.

'Sachiko is an esper and I'm a psychic? We're a perfect match!'

This girl really has a weird imagination and she uses it in every situation as often as can. It's no wonder her facial expression is always unstable.

"Come Yumi, sit."

Sachiko said as she tapped her side on the couch, beckoning Yumi to sit beside her. Yumi was spacing out again but Sachiko's hand movement caught her attention so she was able to stop her daydreaming.

"Huh? Oh, yes."

Like a dog that was ordered by its master to sit, Yumi automatically obeyed and sat beside her girlfriend.

"Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?'"

The owner of the room curiously asked her guest. She noticed that Yumi had become tense since they entered the room and she had a pretty good idea why.

"Are you not feeling well, Love?"

She asked with a flirtatious tone and a look of concern as she leaned closer and cupped both of Yumi's cheek with her hands. She was well aware that Yumi did not have a fever. Sachiko was just pointing out that Yumi's cheeks were flushing.

"I-I'm fine Oneesama. Maybe the long walk from the garden got me a little tired."

She said a bit panting as her cheeks crimson color darkened at Sachiko's touch. Though it is true that The Ogasawara mansion is really huge and climbing the stairs to get to Sachiko's room is really tiring, it wasn't really the reason why Yumi was finding it hard to breathe.

"I see. Well then, just rest here for a while. I'll just change my clothes."

With a heart-tugging smile, Sachiko stood up and went over to the walk-in closet. She gathered a pile of clothes and headed to the bathroom.

Yumi did not make any sound but her eyes followed Sachiko's every movement. When the taller girl finally disappeared from her view, Yumi released her breath that she did not know she was holding.

'What am I going to do? I'm not prepared for this.'

Her heart was pounding and her stomach was filled with butterflies.

'I mustn't show her how nervous I am. She might think I'm scared of her and drive her away. I must act normal.'

Yumi tried to relax and calm herself. She started by doing a breathing exercise. She took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds then released it. She did this repeatedly until her heart beat was steady. Then she tried to distract herself by observing her surroundings. A grand piano located at the middle of the room caught her attention. She hoped that Sachiko will play again for her. Then her eyes traveled and noticed the walk in closet and wondered how Sachiko organizes her clothes. 'Does she sort her shirts depending on their colors or designs?' she wondered. Does she separate trousers from jeans and sweat pants? Does she wear tank tops and shorts?

'Is that where she keeps her lingerie and underwear?'

Ooops! She did it again. She's having dirty thoughts. Yumi looks like an angel sent from above but obviously, she's NOT that innocent.

The young girl's heart palpitated. All her effort on calming herself was useless. This simple thought only added to the nervousness she was feeling. She shook her head, wanting to push away the idea. She averted her gaze and forced herself to look anywhere else other than that closet which was a bad idea because her eyes immediately found the elegant queen-size bed. Yumi stared at it transfixed. It looked so soft and comfortable to sleep in, it was inviting, calling out to her. And her feet were unable to resist the temptation so she found herself standing at its side. Her breathing became heavier by thinking at the possibility that she would get to sleep with Sachiko on that soft piece of furniture. She couldn't believe that her dream was slowly turning out into reality.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed the bedside drawer at the upper part of the bed. Two photo frames were placed on top of it. Yumi walked closer to take a better look. She picked up one of the frames which she recognized as the one that was shot on their first encounter, it was her life-changing moment that was fortunately captured on film. It was the photo that started it all.

'Arigato, Tsutako-san.'

Yumi inwardly said. It may have been just an accident, but the fact is Tsusako-san brought Sachiko to Yumi's life and for that, she will always be grateful of her aspiring-photographer friend.

After a few seconds reminiscing, Yumi put down the frame and took the other one. It was a solo picture of her that was clearly taken on the school ground based on the gingko path on the background. On the photo, Yumi could be seen looking at the camera, her eyes sparkling and her lips forming a radiant smile. Yumi was bewildered. She was wondering why this photo was in Sachiko's room. She would surely have remembered if she had given this to Sachiko but she was certain that she never did such a thing.

"You are very cute in that photo."

_"Eeep!"_

Yumi shrieked when she heard someone spoke in the room where she supposedly thought she was alone. Her heart almost jumped out of her chest and she almost threw the frame she was holding. She turned to the direction of the sound and saw Sachiko standing outside the bathroom door, wearing a plain white v-neck with matching a pair of slim jeans.

"I'm sorry if I surprised you but that was quite a sound you made. I'm afraid that startling you might become a habit."

The raven-haired said playfully when she stepped closer to the petrified girl.

"Oneesama, I didn't hear you come out. How long have you been standing there?"

Yumi asked when her brain started working again.

"Just long enough to see you staring at that photo with your face looking so confused."

Sachiko answered plainly as she sat at the edge of the bed, near the standing girl.

"Wh wh wh wh."

As much as she tried, Yumi couldn't form any coherent sentence. Why, what, how, nor when, Yumi couldn't choose which word to use.

"What is this photo doing here, is what you want to know, right?"

Luckily, Sei-sama is not the only person who understands Yumi-ese. Apparently, Sachiko also has the ability to comprehend Yumi's strange language so she was able to translate what 'Wh wh wh wh' meant.

The stuttering girl only nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"I got it from your personal photographer, of course."

Yumi thought about it for a moment before she realized who Sachiko might be referring to.

"You mean Tsutako-san?"

Not that she was confirming that Tsutako was her personal photographer because as far as she knew she never hired anyone to exclusively take her pictures. She just assumed that her intelligent, no-need-to-study-because-she-has-a-good-memory Oneesama happened to have forgotten Tsutako's name. Well, at least she doesn't call her 'camera-chan'.

"You're the subject of most of her shots so I prefer calling her your personal photographer."

The clever girl explained. It is not unusual for Tsutako to have many pictures of Yumi but for Sachiko to personally ask the ace photographer for a copy, now that's weird. Since when did they become friends close enough for Sachiko to ask Tsutako a favor? Yumi wondered how Rosa Chinensis approached Tsutako and how her friend reacted.

"I nicely asked her, I didn't harass your friend."

Sachiko said, as if reading Yumi's mind. It's not like she confiscated it then forbade Tsutako on taking pictures of her Yumi. Sachiko might be a very possessive girlfriend but she makes sure that she's not barking at the wrong tree. She never saw Tsutako as a threat. In fact, she even gave her a generous amount of roll films as payment for Yumi's photos. (Yes, she has a collection of Yumi's photos) But it was a secret deal so Yumi was not aware of it.

"I asked for a close-up picture of you because I want to stare at your adorable face before I sleep at night and every morning when I wake up, the first thing I want to see is your smile."

Sachiko said seriously as she lovingly gazed at the photo. Yumi's heart melted at hearing this statement.

"Sachiko, you're so sweet."

Yumi softly said with her eyes looking down. She was fighting the tears that were threatening to fall. Sachiko who was seated on the bed reached out for her girlfriend's hand and gave it a squeeze. This made Yumi look straight at her face.

"I used to be bitter until you came and made things better. I was dissatisfied with myself. There was a part of me that was lacking and I wished to fill that absence so I took a variety of lessons thinking that it would help me find whatever I was looking for."

Sachiko said then gently pulled Yumi's hand and guided her to sit beside her before she resumed sharing her thoughts.

"I wanted to be well-educated and well-accomplished. I made these my goals since I do not have any other priorities in life. But in the process, I realize that I have neglected the most important thing which is to enjoy life. I found it hard to adapt with my surroundings. I struggled when it came to interacting with girls at my age because I couldn't relate with their care-free attitude and simple goals in life."

It wasn't the first time that Sachiko talked about her youth but this time she was opening up herself more.

"But you know everything changed when I met you. I was reborn. I was given a second chance in life and this time I want to enjoy it. I want to smile and laugh and be happy as often as I can to make up for those years that I didn't experience this emotion. And that will only be possible if I stick with you. You are the only one who can easily make me smile and can make me laugh effortlessly. So let's make a deal Yumi, that you will love me forever."

She said emotionally with her eyes gazing straight in Yumi's. The younger girl failed to hold back her tears. But they were tears of joy not sorrow. I f Sachiko would always make her cry for this reason then crying isn't bad after all.

"I promise." was Yumi's heartfelt reply before she brought Sachiko's hand to her lips. And she was not surprised when her girlfriend leaned closer towards her for a passionate kiss which she did not resist but responded in kind. She also didn't resist when her Sachiko gently pushed her down on the bed. They kissed hungrily, wanting to express their emotion by exploring each other's mouth and grasping each other's body tightly. Yumi's mind went blank that moment. She couldn't think, she could only feel. And what they were doing felt great so she wanted to continue where ever it might lead to. And just when she felt the urge to take off her companion's clothes, her love intentionally pulled away.

"We better stop before we get too carried away."

Yumi was dumbfounded by what she heard. Did Sachiko suddenly have cold feet?

"We have to go down for dinner. Father and grandfather will be joining us and it would be rude to keep them waiting."

Sachiko said reluctantly, informing Yumi that she also didn't want to stop their activity but just had to. At first, Yumi was relieved on finding out that her girlfriend didn't mind being more intimate with her but that relief was quickly replaced by nervousness that was far greater than the one she felt earlier.

"Your Father and Grandfather?"

Yumi asked after pushing herself from the bed. She was desperately praying that she misheard what her love said.

"They've heard so much about you from me so I guess that's why they wanted to meet you."

The raven-haired said when she properly sat on the edge of the bed and was untangling some strands of hair.

"Oneesama, shouldn't we be worried? Maybe they have already found out about us and they want to talk to us about it."

How Sachiko could stay so calm at this situation, Yumi wondered.

"There's no need to worry, Love. They won't force you to marry me, well unless I ask them to."

Sachiko joked. She understood Yumi's reaction. If she was sure that her family was against their relationship, she would not have brought Yumi to the mansion but she was certain that her parents and grandfather have already accepted it so there was no need to worry. In fact, Sachiko's grandfather was the one who asked her to bring Yumi over for dinner. Sachiko had taken it as the old man's way on helping her out by welcoming Yumi to their family.

"Sachiko, this is serious! You should have told me about this earlier. I'm not prepared to introduce myself even as your seour. And look at what I'm wearing. "

Yumi said hysterically, referring to her uniform which was quite wrinkled due to their recent "activity".

"It's just a casual dinner; just a typical family gathering although I must say, this rarely happens. I rarely see them because they're very busy with our business and some... _other things_."

Yumi felt Sachiko's bitterness when the latter spat the last words which she might have been referring to as the mistresses.

"So, this is a special occasion especially because you are here. This is my dream, to be with you and my family at the same time even just for once."

Hearing this, Yumi realized how important this dinner was for Sachiko. All Sachiko wanted was to bring together all her loved ones and she should be flattered because she is one of them.

"Just be yourself. I'm sure they'll love you. After all, no one can resist your charm, my CUTE little sister."

Sachiko said half serious, half teasing. She was excited to introduce Yumi to them even just as her seour because she wanted them to see how special this girl is. And she was sure that when they see what she saw in Yumi then they would understand why she fell in love with her. She was just worried that Yumi would be so intimidated with these men and the girl would find it hard to be herself in front of them.

"Your little sister? Are you sure that's all they know?"

"It doesn't matter what they know. Even if they know the truth, they can't do anything about it."

She said confidently, wanting to assure Yumi that no matter what happens no one can tear them apart.

The pig-tailed girl took a moment to think things through. She had always wanted to meet Sachiko's family but she feared that they might not be able to accept her for Sachiko. She loves Sachiko so much but is that love enough for her to have the courage to face the Ogasawara men, the people who decide for Sachiko's life? Was she brave enough to fight for her love?

_**End of flashback**_

"Everything will be fine, trust me."

Sachiko said after retying Yumi's scarf then brushing off the wrinkles on the smaller girl's sailor collar.

"I do trust you."

The girl said before they left the room holding hands.

~0~

As expected, the dining room was huge and elegant, furnished with a large dining table and a number of dining chairs. Silver plates and utensils were placed on top of the table together with wine glasses and water goblets.

'She calls this casual?'

Yumi mused when she compared this table setting to the usual Fukuzawa dinner.

The Ogasawara men were seated on opposite ends as Sayako was seated on the left side of her husband. Sachiko stepped closer and introduced her seour.

"Grandfather, Father, I'd like you to meet Yumi. Yumi these are my father and grandfather."

Sachiko said plainly, not adding the word seour in her introduction.

"I-I'm honored to meet you Sir. I'm truly indebted to your daughter."

The nervous girl said with all her courage as she slightly bowed.

"Such a nice girl you are Yumi-chan. Thank you for being a good influence to our Sachiko."

Touro said, smiling warmly.

"And please call me Ojisama."

"Then I insist that you call me Grandpa."

The old man sitting on the opposite end butted in.

"I'm glad to have another grand daughter."

He added in a friendly tone. Yumi was unable to respond immediately.

'What's happening? Why are they so nice and accommodating?'

Yumi was bewildered. The image of a ruthless business tycoon or the head of a powerful Mafia were ingrained in her brain. These were how she imagined Sachiko's father and grandfather would be like. Men who care for nothing other than wealth and power. Had she been too judgmental or had she just been watching too many gangster movies?

Touro and his father are good people who run their business through hard work and determination. They are the head of the Ogasawara Group, one of the leading corporations in Japan that provides job for thousands of people. But aside from being businessmen, they are great philanthropists. Their corporation has founded many foundations that help in providing food, shelter and education for many homeless children. Because of their humanitarian effort, Sachiko had such great respect and admiration for them when she was young. She idolized them and wanted to continue their good deeds when she takes over their company in the future. She used to believe that every male in their family is admirable. She was even sure that Kashiwagi would someday be like them and she wouldn't mind marrying that kind of man. But her admiration for them was tainted when she found out about their mistresses followed by Kashiwagi's selfish suggestion for them to continue their engagement despite his admission of his true sexuality. Her perfect image of them was shattered and she was deeply hurt and started hating men. But she never hated them completely. She just needed time to heal and learn to forgive which has been happening recently. Ever since her father told her that she didn't have to marry Suguru, and her grandfather gave his approval, her heart softened for the two Ogasawara men because she felt their love for her by choosing her happiness over prestige. And as for Kashiwagi, she has already forgiven him.

"Girls, please take your seat."

Sayako said and the two girls obeyed.

"Consider this your home Yumi-chan. You can live here if you like. I'll give you one of our finest rooms."

The old man offered sincerely. Yumi couldn't believe her ears.

'Is he serious?'

"No, Grandfather. You don't have to give her a room of her own. If she's going to live here, I want her to stay in my room."

"Well, that's fine if that's what she wants too, Sachiko. Touro, why don't you arrange her papers so I can legally adopt her immediately."

"Father, we have to get her parents' consent first"

"His right, Father. I'll invite the Fukuzawa couple to meet us. Is that alright Yumi-chan?"

As the Ogasawaras were having this discussion, the person they were discussing about remained silent the whole time. She was still shocked that Sachiko's grandfather offered her to live there. She was so focused on choosing the right decision so she only heard some part of the conversation. So when Sayako turned to her and asked for her opinion, she didn't know what to say. She turned to Sachiko who smiled at her and took it as a sign that she should give her approval.

"Yes, I'm sure it's alright."

She answered with out a doubt.

"Excellent! I'll arrange for it as soon as possible."

Sayako exclaimed in joy.

'Their talking about adoption, maybe their going to adopt a dog.'

She was unaware that the "dog" she assumed they were referring to was named Fukuzawa Yumi.

A few moments since they arrived at the table, the butler came.

"Excuse me Sir, your guests have arrived."

He announced.

"It is about time. Send them in."

The head of the family ordered. There was a look of puzzlement on Yumi's face when she turned to Sachiko.

'Guests? Who are they?'

She mentally asked her girlfriend. The older girl just shrugged her shoulders, meaning to say that she had no clue.

It only took a minute for them to find out the answer when the said guests entered the dining area. A man and his wife with their son. Yumi and Sachiko were shocked in seeing them.

'What are they doing here?' was what both of them wanted to know.

"Good evening everyone. I apologize if we're a bit late."

The man said apologetically.

"Very well, take your seat so we can proceed with our meal."

The old man commanded. The warm and friendly atmosphere a while ago was suddenly replaced by tension.

"Father, May I ask what is the meaning of this?"

Sachiko said, trying to stay calm. Not waiting for Touro to answer, their male guest spoke.

"Sacchan, we were asked to come because there is something Father wanted to discuss."

"We're going to talk about the details of your wedding with Suguru."

The wife said eagerly. Sachiko's color turned pale at hearing this.

'I thought the engagement was over. Did Grandfather change his mind?'

Sachiko felt sudden fear mixed with fury. She wasn't expecting this, and definitely wasn't prepared for this. She didn't know what to do and was nearing hysterics until she felt someone tightly held her hand which was under the table. She turned to her side and saw her beloved Yumi wearing a shocked expression as the girl was staring at their newly arrived guests.

'She's scared. I have to do something, but what?'

She thought worriedly as she tightly held Yumi's trembling hand. The girl looked petrified and confused.

"Before anything else I would like you to meet Sachiko's sister."

Touro introduced Yumi to the Kashiwagis and the girl greeted them politely despite her nervousness.

'Is this why they sent for me? So they could discuss the wedding in front of me? They wanted to make it clear to me that Sachiko is destined to marry this man?'

Yumi thought bitterly as she tried to prevent herself from crying. She wanted to run but she knew it would be rude to leave all of a sudden.

"So, are we going to have the wedding on the planned date?"

Mr. Kashiwagi asked. There was silence in the air as everyone anticipated the old man's answer. Sachiko wished that she would wake up from this dream that turned into a nightmare.

"I'm sorry but the wedding is off."

The wise old man said briefly. Everyone was stunned.

"I realized recently that Sachiko is too young to get married. She has her own ambitions and I don't anyone or anything to get in her way on accomplishing them. I am giving her the freedom to decide for her life and we are here to give her support. Of course, the same thing goes for Suguru."

"But, Father what about the merging of our companies?"

"Touro is still young. He can continue running the business for at least ten years. I'm sure by that time, Sachiko would be ready to take over the company and manage it on her own. She could ask for Suguru's assistance if she'd like. Do we really have to get this children married just to strengthen the ties between our families?"

Sachiko was touched to hear that her grandfather has so much trust in her that he was planning to leave their company on her hands.

"But, Father..."

"Enough! I've made up my mind. I am not asking for your consent regarding this matter. I am simply announcing my decision. Sachiko and Suguru are free to marry or be with anyone they choose. This is the end of this discussion."

The old man said sharply and no one dared to argue any further.

"We understand. If that is your wish, then we accept."

Mr. Kashiwagi and his wife conceded. They didn't want to anger this powerful man. And as for their son, he was expressionless. No one could tell what was going through his mind that moment.

Sachiko and Yumi looked at each other. No words were needed to be said to express their happiness and relief. The old man turned to Sachiko who was facing Yumi. When he saw the sparkle in Sachiko's eyes and the radiant smile on her face, he knew that he made the right decision. He may be one of the richest men in the world who can buy everything he wants but his grand daughter's smile is priceless.

_to be continued..._

* * *

A/N: I didn't expect this chapter to be this long but I guess this is what happens when I get carried away. I came up with this idea of bringing in Sachiko's family because of one of the reviews I received.** Papapapuffy **if you're reading this, thanks for that review (which I had taken as a request).

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this. In case I won't able to update before the end of this year, let me greet you in advance.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! ( if you do celebrate this occasion) and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Until next time.


	13. ANNOUNCEMENT

**ANNOUNCEMENT**

This is not a new chapter, sorry to disappoint you. I forgot to mention that I'm looking for a beta reader. I'm having a hard time finding one. I have these ideas for the next chapters but I want to hear someone's opinion first before posting them, just to make sure that the readers would understand them clearly. I would appreciate your every suggestion and every opinion whether it'd be a compliment or a criticism. And it would also be nice if I can have someone check my grammar. I haven't started chapter 13 yet but I think I can finish it by the end of this month if I can get a beta reader immediately. I am hoping to find one soon. If there's any of you interested please **PM** me.

Strikien

* * *

**UPDATE:**

I finally have a beta reader! ^-^ DarkShinji8003


	14. TOUGH CONFESSION

I do not own **MSGM**

* * *

**TOUGH CONFESSION**

* * *

In the dim of the night, a solitary soul was standing at a balcony. Gazing up at the sky for a long period of time, anyone would think that she was waiting for a falling star. Perhaps, she was waiting for a chance to wish upon it. But if you look closely at her you would see the contentment that adorned her face. There was no sign of worry nor sadness, just pure joy and satisfaction. Indeed, there was no need for her to wish upon a star because she already had everything she could wish for - a comfortable life, a supportive family and a very special love.

'Yumi'

She uttered to herself. She never gets tired of saying that name and she never gets tired of hearing it as well. That four letter name that matches a four letter word that she has recently understood the meaning of: LOVE. Yumi gave her a deeper meaning of love therefore, Yumi defines that word perfectly.

As she continued staring blankly at the sky, she continued imagining her life with her beloved pig-tailed girl. She is now certain that the future will not be so hard for them now that she is not engaged with Kashiwagi anymore.

'Suguru-san.'

She suddenly felt annoyed when that name came to her mind.

'I could have seduced Yumi tonight if it wasn't for that moron.'

She became very irritated as she remembered what happened earlier that evening.

**_Earlier that evening..._**

"This is such a wonderful dinner. I would love to stay longer and chat with my grandchildren but I'm afraid I need to rest in my room early. Touro and I have a scheduled flight overseas at five in the morning."

The old man stated after dinner.

"Then we would also like to take our leave. I also have an important business trip tomorrow."

Mr. Kashiwagi said.

"Mother, Father, please go ahead without me. I'd like to stay and make sure that Yumi-chan gets home safely."

"Please don't bother, Kashiwagi-san. I can go home on my own." Yumi politely refused. She didn't want to experience Kashiwagi's awful driving again.

"Thank you for the offer Suguru-san but I can ask our driver to drive her home." Sachiko said. She too had no trust on her cousin's driving skills.

"Please be reasonable Sacchan. Matsui-san is going to take Grandfather to the airport by dawn. How can he take his needed rest if he is going to have to wait for Yumi-chan to leave first?"

Kashiwagi argued calmly. Sachiko didn't want to admit it but he had a point. It would be very inconsiderate of her if she would not be concern about the welfare of their employees. She couldn't ask Yumi to spend the night there either, knowing that they have school tomorrow.

"Then, is it alright if Matsui-san takes me home now?"

Yumi suggested. She did not want to leave yet but she knew that if she stayed there much longer, she would have no choice but to accept Kashiwagi's offer.

"Are you sure Yumi?"

"Yes, Oneesama. We can talk tomorrow."

Sachiko reluctantly agreed. She had been looking forward to having a private talk with Yumi. She wanted them to celebrate the formal ending of her engagement in the privacy of her room. There, they could continue their "activity" that was momentarily postponed when they went down for dinner. But because Yumi decided to go home early, Sachiko will have to wait for another chance to make Yumi her sex slave...I mean lover (what's the difference?).

~o~

The handsome young man spotted the beautiful young lady standing at the balcony. From a short distance, he silently watched the emotions that played on her face as she gazes at the sky.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"

The deep male voice startled Sachiko. She would have shrieked in surprise if she was not properly trained as a lady. She turned to the person who dared interrupt her musing.

"What do you want Suguru-san?"

She coldly asked her ex-fiancé who was also the reason of her annoyance. He didn't drive Yumi home but he still decided to stay for a while and chat with Sachiko's parents. Kashiwagi stepped closer, not caring whether his cousin wanted to have some privacy or not.

"I waited for your guest to leave so I could talk with you privately."

"Is there something we need to talk about?"

Sachiko asked curiously seeing the serious expression on her cousin's face.

"What did you do to make Grandfather change his mind about the engagement? What did you tell him?"

He calmly asked.

"I told him you're gay."

Sachiko said plainly as she stared directly at his face, waiting for his outburst. She was probably trying to annoy her cousin.

"I'm sure you did no such thing. If what you are saying is true, Grandfather would have disowned me by now. "

He responded coolly. Sachiko felt pity on him because she used to be in his shoes. She used to fear that her family might not be able to accept her relationship with Yumi. She wondered if she should tell Suguru the truth and encourage him to get out of the closet and tell him that if their grandfather was able to accept her sexuality, he would surely accept Kashiwagi's.

"I'm sure he saw your unwillingness to go on with this arrangement."

"Whatever his reason was, aren't you glad that it's over?"

Sachiko said with a sincere smile. It was only then that she realized that by doing what she did, she had done her cousin a favor. Both of them will not have to suffer being stuck in a loveless marriage.

"Yes, I'm glad. Now I can pursue my love."

He said with eyes brimming with determination. Sachiko was happy for her cousin. She wanted him to experience the joy of being in love and she wanted him to enjoy his freedom. She had a feeling that Kashiwagi has special feelings for Yuuki and she wanted to help him win Yuuki's heart however...

"Now, I can pursue... **you**."

Sachiko was speechless for a moment, not trusting what she heard. She had known her cousin as a person who never took things seriously most of the time so maybe this was just one of his pranks. She refused to take him seriously, thinking that he might just laugh at her.

"Will you give me a chance?"

He asked softly. Sachiko gazed harder at the handsome face before her. She could sense that he was serious. And she was stunned when she had finally determined this man's sincerity.

"Quit fooling around! This is not funny!"

It was the first time a man directly showed romantic interest on her, and Sachiko did not know how she should react.

"I love you Sachiko."

He said with conviction. It was the first time Sachiko heard him call her by that name and it sounded different. It sounded the way Yumi says her name, pure of longing, affection and love.

"You're not making any sense!"

Sachiko was bewildered. She could not comprehend why this man was saying he loves her when it was him who indirectly rejected her three years ago. If this had happened during that time, she might have been flattered knowing that the man she likes has special feelings for her. She might have accepted his love and had taken their relationship seriously. But everything had changed since Kashiwagi told her that he was gay; causing her growing admiration for him vanished. She became bitterer and cold. But eventually she had been able to move on with the help of Yumi. She only has Yumi in her heart now and there is no room for anyone else.

"I have always loved you since childhood and I can not see myself with any other woman."

"But you can see yourself with other men, right?"

Sachiko pointed out.

"I'm not gay. I'm sorry for telling you that lie."

"If it was a lie, why did you have to say it? Why did you tell me that I should fall in love with someone else and have their children? Was that a joke?

"Because I wanted you to hate me. And it was the only thing I could think of to make you push me away."

He said with a sad expression. But why would he want Sachiko to hate him if he loves her? Like what Sachiko said, he is not making any sense.

"I love you so much which is why I never planned to take advantage of our arranged marriage. I want you to marry me for only one reason, and I want that reason to be love. I want you to choose me because you love me, not because you think you love me, nor because you think you're obliged love me."

Sachiko tried to dissect Kashiwagi's every word, hoping that it would help her understand what he was saying. But it was futile. The more he explained himself, the more confused she became.

"When we were younger, I had a feeling that you were fine with the arrangement not only because it was our Grandfather's wish but mainly because you think I am the right one for you. I was the only guy who had the privilege to be close to you so naturally you had no other choices. I could have monopolized you but instead, I chose to give you a chance to decide on your own."

Why did he have to make things so complicated? Because of his selfless love for his cousin, he wanted to make sure that Sachiko would only commit to their marriage wholeheartedly. Perhaps it was his ego that prevented him from claiming his prize without any competition.

"Grandfather may have ended the engagement but it does not mean that he disapproves of us. Sachiko, please give me a chance."

He pleaded. You could sense the sincerity in his words. And his gentle eyes and charming smile can easily melt any woman's heart.

Sachiko stared at him intently. Here was the man she liked not so long ago. Mature, intelligent, sophisticated and kind, he was her ideal man. And because he understands her better than anyone else, it wasn't hard for Sachiko to imagine herself becoming his wife someday. But her perfect image of him died when she believed his lie so she decided to forget about him and move on. But now that she has finally moved on, he's telling her that her ideal man does actually exist and is madly in love with her. Should she be happy? Does he expect for them to return to how they were before and pretend that nothing happened?

For a moment, she wondered if Kashiwagi isn't really gay. But then she realized she should not be bothered about his sexuality. Whether he is gay or not, it does not matter because she is in love with someone else. She promised Yumi that nothing will change if this kind of situation occurs and she intends to keep that promise. Her feelings did not waver even after Kashiwagi's confession. What she felt for him before was nothing compared to what she feels for Yumi now. She was not interested on her ideal man for she has already found her ideal partner.

"Kashiwagi-san I appreciate your feelings but..."

"Excuse me Miss. There's a phone call for you."

Both of them were quite surprised to hear the butler's voice. But it seemed he had just arrived at the scene so there's a big possibility that he didn't hear any part of the conversation.

"Y-Yes. I'll answer it in my room. Thank you."

Sachiko said after composing herself. She was expecting that phone call because she asked Yumi to call her immediately as soon as she arrived home safely.

"If you'll excuse me, Kashiwagi-san."

"I understand. Let's talk about this some other time."

The heiress headed for the stairs leaving the young man alone by himself.

'My Sachiko.'

He muttered to himself as he gazed at the stars. He had her from the start yet he chose to let her go. Doing what he thought was best for the person he loves might be his biggest mistake. It was a decision he might regret for the rest of his life.

~o~

**_W_**earing a mask that hides my personality,

**_K_**eeping an image of how people see me.

**_O_**nly to you I am able to show

**_A_** side of me I didn't know.

After that eventful dinner at the Ogasawara mansion, Yumi came home overwhelmed with happiness. A very wonderful thing happened that night because it was when she heard with her own ears that Sachiko is now a free woman. And though they had not announced their relationship yet, Yumi had a feeling that Sachiko's family would accept her for Sachiko.

After making a short phone call to Sachiko, she remembered about the note she received on her shoe locker that afternoon.

'I wonder who's sending this.'

At first, Yumi wanted to meet the person who had been sending her these because she wanted to show her appreciation but lately, the existence of these notes has been bothering her. It bothers her because she could not determine whether these are love letters or not. She is worried that Sachiko might loose trust on her if she finds out that she's keeping this from her.

'I wonder if Oneesama also receives letters like these. And if she does, what does she do with them?'

Considering how popular her girlfriend is, it wouldn't be surprising if Sachiko has a stack of fan letters. But Sachiko does not accept anything from anyone for no reason. Perhaps she ignores them or doesn't read them at all, is what Yumi thought. She did not accept chocolates from her fans so maybe she doesn't accept letters either. But what if she actually does read them and enjoys reading them and she is keeping it from Yumi? Just the thought of it made Yumi feel jealous.

'I better tell Oneesama about this. I don't want to keep anything from her.'

She decided to confess this to her girlfriend as soon as she gets the chance.

~o~

Today is an ordinary afternoon but I did not feel like going to my last subjects so I decided to skip classes. There was no particular place that I planned to go to but I did not want to go home yet either. And as my mind wondered for something fun to do, my feet led me to the high school grounds. Strolling around the Lillian grounds at that kind of hour is a moment to cherish. With the absence of the students I can enjoy the silence of the surroundings, I can freely walk without anyone staring at me curiously and wondering why a Lillian U student is lurking around the high school buildings.

Consciously or subconsciously, my legs carried me to the east and before I knew it, I have already stepped inside this place. Nothing seems to have changed here. The wooden statue of a crucified Jesus Christ is still the first thing that will greet you when you open the thick decorated door. When you glanced to its left, a full-colored Maria statue. And to its right, a stained-glass window of brilliant colors. Long, wooden benches were on either side of the passage down the middle. I looked up and saw a picture of angels was painted on the ceiling. It is always a relaxing sight to see. This chapel inside Lillian Academy is truly a beautiful place.

I never thought I would ever step into this place again. This place brings back memories that I tried to forget. This is where I met the person who I had loved so much but chose to break my heart. When I met her, I felt that my life suddenly became worth-living. I wanted to thank God for giving me Shiori. But when she left, it was so painful I thought I would die. Maria-sama took her from me.

Now, I'm standing in front of my rival. She looks so serene and kind, casting a benevolent smile upon me. I have already accepted my defeat. I know I don't stand a chance against her. But I had long understood that she is not an enemy. She called out to Shiori, and Shiori chose her over me. Maybe Shiori did love me but it is Maria-sama who she needed more. Meeting Shiori, was it a blessing or a cursed? I really couldn't figure it out before. But now I made myself believe that Shiori was an angel and Maria-sama lent her to me, seeing that I was struggling to find a meaning in life. She saw that I was not appreciating the joy of being alive in this world so she sent Shiori to melt my frozen heart. Shiori taught me how to feel different emotions. I did get hurt in loving but at least I found out what a wonderful feeling it is to fall in love.

Maria-sama didn't steal Shiori from me because like I said Shiori was hers from the start. She just took back what originally belonged to her. I built a room in my heart for Shiori and when she left I thought my heart will always be empty. But when I realized that my friends and Onee-sama who had always been there for me and willing to fill that emptiness it made me happy. The people that I had been ignoring stuck with me when I needed them the most. If I did not get hurt, I wouldn't have been vulnerable enough to let them into my heart. I will always be grateful to them.

'I think I want to visit the Rose Mansion.'

Maybe because I was becoming sentimental, I suddenly felt the longing to see the younger Roses.

Turning her back away from the statue, Sei was headed for the entrance door when her eyes gazed at the stained window and she caught a glimpse of a student approaching the sanctuary. When she realized who that student was, her feet as if they had a mind of its own, hastily searched for a place to hide. She did not want anyone especially this person to find her in this place. Not that it was something to be ashamed of but somehow it made her feel shy.

In a corner of the sanctuary was a small enclosed booth. Sei hurried to it and quickly entered. She heard the sound of light footsteps entering the chapel.

'What is Shimako doing here? Oh, yeah she's a devout so that's not strange at all. But I thought she only goes here during morning. It looks like they don't have a meeting today.'

As Sei ponders on these things, she took a seat inside the booth. It was a confessional booth that Catholics use for the Sacrament of Penance. Sei is not a Christian so she had never entered a confession booth before but being in a Catholic school for most of her life, she knew its purpose. The booth has three closed compartments and she was inside the middle one, the one used by the priest. She decided to stay there until Shimako leaves. The space was small and it was quite dark but fortunately, she was not claustrophobic so the lack of space did not bother her.

Shortly after she entered, she heard the light footsteps started moving again and this time the sound seems to be nearing her location.

'No way. Is she...'

Just as Sei was about to leap out the booth before it was too late, what she feared of happening happened. The door to the right compartment opened and someone entered. She heard movements which she believed as Shimako was kneeling.

"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was last month."

The angelic voice from the penitent's compartment said. Sei was frozen in place and she did not dare move. She thought that maybe if she did not make a sound, Shimako will assume that no one was there and leave eventually. But she knew very well how intelligent her seour was. Even a blind person would easily sense someone else's presence at this short range.

'Maybe if I open the door and run quickly, she won't see me? But the exit door of this chapel is quite far so even if I run, she would still be able to get a glimpse of me as soon as she step out of this booth.'

Sei was desperately thinking of a way to escape this situation. But she felt so trapped.

'Shimako is here to make a confession so that means she has a problem. Oh, she's going to confess that she is the daughter of a Buddhist priest.'

Thinking that Shimako is going to confess something that she was already aware of, made Sei feel less guilty. She decided to play "Priest" for a while, thinking it would make Shimako feel better.

"Father?"

Sei heard Shimako's concerned voice. She might have been dawdling too long that Shimako began to get worried when she didn't hear any response.

"Ahemm.."

Sei made a sound as if clearing her throat.

"Yes child. Tell me what bothers you."

Sei said trying to sound as masculine as she could. She wanted to hit her head with a bat for what she was doing. She knew what she was doing was wrong but she was sure that Shimako will forgive her after this. Perhaps Shimako was surprised to hear such an unfamiliar voice because the girl took a moment to speak.

"You see, lately I've been feeling confused. Becoming a nun used to be my desire but now I realized that I didn't want to pursue that ambition anymore."

Shimako said in a calm voice. Sei almost fell on her seat when she heard this. She did not expect Shimako to change her mind regarding this matter so quickly. She wondered what could have made Shimako change her mind.

"Uh..huh."

Was the pretending priest's only response. Now she was worried that she had gone too far. This was far more private than she thought. She wanted to reveal herself before Shimako say something further but she was also curious of Shimako's reason for changing her decision.

"I still love this religion and I want to learn and practice its teachings but I cannot offer my life to God anymore. Because...Because I'm..."

There was a long pause as Shimako tried to gather enough courage.

"Because I'm in love."

Sei gasped in surprised. Now, Sei understands the situation. Shimako is in love but the question is to whom. But why is she confessing this to a priest? Falling in love is not a sin. Maybe she made a promise to God that she will become a nun and when she realized that she can not fulfill that promise, she felt that she committed a sin.

This was Sei's theories.

"I'm in love with a girl."

Shimako softly added. Sei was speechless. This was definitely shocking news.

"It has always been hard for me to get along with anyone but her presence makes me feel comfortable. When I'm with her I feel that I can be myself. It's hard to explain. All I know is that I want her to be by my side always."

Sei knew well how difficult it was for Shimako. She was about to step out of the booth so she can hug her dear seour and tell her that it's alright and that she was there for her, when Shimako spoke again.

"What shall I do Onee-sama?"

The voice behind the grid said. Sei was dumbfounded. How long had she known that she was not the priest?

"You knew it was me?"

Sei asked in her normal voice.

"Yes, Onee-sama."

Shimako giggled.

"I saw you from the window but when I entered the sanctuary I couldn't find you. And then I noticed someone inside the confession booth. Father usually accepts confession during Fridays so I had a feeling that it was you. And have you forgotten Onee-sama, I am your seour so I can easily sense your presence."

"I see. You were playing pranks on me."

Sei said smiling. Shimako's playfulness was very uncharacteristic of her.

"Not entirely. I am serious with what I confessed Onee-sama."

Shimako said seriously.

"Really, which one?"

"All of it."

There was silence once again. Sei finally understood that Shimako actually confessed to her and not to a priest. She was not simply confessing, she was asking for Sei's advice. Sei of all people should be the person who will be able to understand her. She was in that same situation two years ago.

"Does she know?"

"Not yet."

"I see."

Sei tried to think of the right things to say.

"Onee-sama, how did you know that it was...love?"

Shimako asked with slight hesitation.

"When I met her, I didn't hesitate to let her into my life. I felt like I found a part of me that I never knew was missing. I treasured every moment we were together. Just the sight of her thrills my heart. Her very smile, every movement, every word, everything about her amazed me. Do you feel these things for this person?"

"Yes but its wrong. The love I desire is a sin and now I feel unworthy of the religion I have come to love."

"This may sound cheesy but, how can something so wrong feel so right all along? I know the Bible says it is a sin. But it also says that God gave man the greatest gift of all. You know what that is?"

"Jesus? Our Savior who saved us from our sins?"

"Well, yeah but aside from Him, God also gave man free-will. He made us the most intelligent creatures in this world so we can choose how to live our life. We have the freedom to decide for ourselves, and it is up to us if we want to make our lives meaningful. Well, at least that's what I believe in. I believe God loves each and every one of us and if He loves us, He will accept us right? If we commit sins, He will forgive us."

Sei was also surprised of the things she was saying. It was the first time she shared her personal views in life.

"Onee-sama, how difficult was it for her to choose?"

Shimako bravely asked. It seemed that she was more interested on Shiori's experience.

"I think if her love for God was not absolute she might have stayed with me. But Shiori is Shiori. She chose what she believed was best for her. And only you can decide for yourself."

"I've already given up my desire of becoming a nun. But I'm afraid of what I'm feeling. What if I get hurt?"

"Shimako, love is a beautiful thing. Once in your life, it will knock on your door. If you keep your heart closed, it will go away and may never come back again. "

Shimako took a moment to think of her Onee-sama's words. This was the longest conversation they've ever had. She still felt confused but letting out her feelings made her feel better.

"Thank you for listening Onee-sama."

She said as she stood up from her kneeling position. She could imagine the gentle face of her Onee-sama smiling at her from the other side of the compartment.

"I'm always here for you Shimako."

They left the sanctuary together and as they walked to the Lillian gates they remained silent. Just like before, their seour relationship is filled with meaningful silence. And it was only when they parted ways that Sei realized something important...

'Oh crap! I forgot to ask to who she's in love with.'

**_To be continued… _**

* * *

A/N: I had a hard time writing this chapter. Specifically the part where Shimako confessed. Originally, I planned to make her confess to a real priest but I changed my mind because although I'm Catholic, I do not know what a real priest will say in that kind of situation. I hope I've written that part well.

Kashiwagi is not gay in this fic. Maybe you don't like that part but I wanted Yumi to have a rival. And have you noticed that Yumi is receiving notes again?

Special thanks to my beta reader** DarkShinji8003. **You are such a big help.


	15. HEARTBROKEN

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru**

* * *

**HEARTBROKEN**

* * *

"Thank you."

Sachiko said weakly to the person who served her tea.

"Don't mention it."

Noriko said, smiling warmly before returning to her seat.

Sachiko brought the rim of the cup unto her lips and elegantly took a sip.

_'Not bad but I will only be satisfied if Yumi was the one serving me this.'_

She silently complained.

"Hey, maybe Yumi-chan has something important to do so she headed straight to class. You'll see her at lunch so stop sulking."

Rei said teasingly. Aside from the former Roses, Rei was the only one who can speak to Sachiko like that without fearing for her life.

"I'm not sulking! I'm worried. Classes are about to start but she still hasn't arrived."

Sachiko said almost hysterically. Yumi is not the type who arrives to school at the last minute so she couldn't help but worry that something bad might have happened to her. What if she got hit by a car and was taken to a hospital? No, no, she shouldn't be thinking of something as horrible as that.

"Why are you so certain that Yumi-san hasn't arrived yet?"

Yoshino asked suspiciously.

"Why? Because...I'm her Oneesama and girlfriend so I'm the one who knows her best."

Sachiko proudly said, hiding the fact that she waited for Yumi at the station for almost half an hour. They never promised each other that they'd go to school together every morning but for Sachiko it was a silent agreement so for the past few days it has become a habit of hers to arrive early at the bus station to wait for Yumi. As for Yumi, the girl probably thought that they've only been meeting there by chance.

'_Yumi, where are you?'_

Suddenly, a lot of possibilities popped in her head.

_'Maybe due to Yumi's overwhelming happiness last night she found it hard to sleep so she overslept this morning.'_

Nah, that doesn't make sense.

_'Perhaps Yumi was kidnapped?'_

Sachiko quickly dismissed that thought. The Fukuzawas are not filthy rich so it's unlikely that any syndicate would bother kidnapping their precious daughter.

_'But what if the abductor is a crazy stalker who's hopelessly obsessed with Yumi and is desperate to make Yumi hers?'_

Now that makes sense. To Sachiko's senseless mind, I mean. She could already imagine it, Yumi's very-tall-freshman-with-long-hair-stalker (she forgot her name) covering Yumi's nose and mouth with a rug soaked in chloroform. Yumi looses consciousness after inhaling that toxic chemical and the stalker easily drags the helpless girl into an awaiting get-away vehicle. Sachiko's face turned pale with fear then crimson due to anger. She was about to contact the Ogasawara Private Army and order them to capture a certain Lillian student dead or alive when she realized the fact that Yumi's stalker was just a first year therefore the girl doesn't have a driver's license meaning she doesn't have a car. There's no way she could have acquired a get-away vehicle. That was her logical explanation.

The creaking sound of the stairs caught everyone's attention. Sachiko gazed intently at the biscuit door, patiently waiting for the approaching person to enter. Her heart-beat quickened due to excitement at the thought that she will finally see the person who will complete her day. Even though she almost got late because she waited for Yumi until her legs got tired while enduring the lustful gaze male passengers were throwing at her, she won't get mad at Yumi. Only a glimpse of her cute pig-tailed girl is more than enough to brighten her up when she's having a bad day so how can she be mad at her? And to see Yumi safe was the most important thing.

The doorknob slowly turned then the wooden door opened and an angelic brunette stepped into the room.

"Uhmm...Gokigenyo...everyone?"

The girl greeted awkwardly. She was wondering why the atmosphere inside the room was so quiet and everyone was staring at her, especially Sachiko. The heiress was looking at her with disbelief or rather disappointment.

"Ahh...Gokigenyo, Oneesama."

Noriko greeted belated then hurriedly served a cup of tea when Shimako took a seat.

"I'm sorry. We're we supposed to have a meeting? I've completely forgotten."

Shimako said apologetically, thinking that a scheduled meeting was postponed due to her late arrival.

"No, it's fine. No meeting is scheduled today. We were talking about Yumi-san when we heard someone climbing the stairs and we all thought it was her."

Yoshino explained to the white rose. Like Sachiko, she was also wondering why Yumi wasn't there.

"And because Sachiko hadn't received her daily dose of Yumi, she's a bit depressed today."

Rei commented, knowing that her friend doesn't have the energy to fight back her teasing.

_'I really have a bad feeling that something happened.'_

Sachiko was lost in her thoughts again.

_'If it's not the stalker then maybe someone else abducted her.'_

Although her prime suspect was off the hook, obviously Sachiko had not dismissed the idea of Yumi being kidnapped. Who on earth has the motive to do such thing to a kindhearted girl?

'_Katou Kei!'_

The name entered her mind along with the image of the intimidating college student she met not so long ago. She knew that woman cannot be trusted. Kei might have convinced Yumi to come over to her house by inviting her for tea. Yumi promised Sachiko that she will never go to that place again but what if Kei found out about Yumi's weakness and used it to seduce the girl. She might have made an offer Yumi could never refuse. Maybe she promised Yumi the thing the latter always long for, the thing Yumi can't get enough of. Yes, maybe Kei used cakes and ice cream as a bait to lure Yumi and the unguarded girl fell for that dirty trick. There's nothing dangerous about sweets unless it's contaminated with drugs that will make Yumi unconscious or alcohol that will make her drunk.  
Sachiko swallowed a lump in her throat. She couldn't stop the negative thoughts invading her mind. She pictured the image of a weak and defenseless Yumi trapped like a prey inside a lion's den. What will that woman do to her innocent and pure angel? Yumi might get raped!

_'I have to save her!'_

Sachiko thought determinedly. Forget about the private army, she would personally kill anyone who would dare lay a finger on her girl.

"I wonder if Yumi-sama is missing school today due to sickness. Maybe she caught a cold."

Noriko said casually which halted Sachiko from her murderous thoughts.

_'Yumi is sick? Why didn't I think of that?'_

She wondered to herself.

_'But if Yumi really is sick then I should be taking care of her.'_

She was about to rush over to second year Pine class to make sure of Yumi's absence when Shimako spoke.

"But I met Yumi-san in front of the statue a while ago. We parted ways because I headed to the sanctuary. I thought she'd be here by now. She must have gone straight to class."

Sachiko was relieved knowing that Yumi was not sick but her worry turned into irritation.

"She could have at least stopped by to give me a proper greeting."

She mumbled angrily. There she was, going crazy worrying over Yumi when there was nothing to worry about after all. Why Yumi did not appear at the RoseMansion was a mystery but she better have a good explanation for it because her girlfriend was really upset.

"A proper greeting eh? You mean a sweet good morning kiss?"

Yoshino who was unable to hold herself joined her cousin on teasing Sachiko but quickly ran behind Rei when Sachiko shot her a venomous look.

_'Scary. Yumi-san's girlfriend is so scary.'_

The frightened girl thought as she continued using Rei as a shield against Sachiko's death glare. Everyone knows that it's not safe to tease Sachiko when she's in a bad mood, especially when she's upset.

_'I thought she'd be excited to see me after what happened last night.'_

Sachiko thought bitterly. She just wanted to be with Yumi as often as possible; she wanted to see her smile, hear her voice, grope her body and make out with her before classes start. Is that too much to ask, she wondered.

~o~

Due to her need to be left alone, her feet led her to this place. Clear blue sky was above her and the wind rustled her skirt as she sat on the roof of the high school building. The view was nice up there. Yumi could see the whole expanse of LillianAcademy and she couldn't help but admire the beauty of this school. Thick trees and blooming flowers that surround the pathways made the scenery more serene. But the serenity in front of her was not enough to calm her troubled heart.  
She spotted Maria-sama's garden from a distance and her lips formed a smile when she remembered the stone statue located in the middle of it. Every time she sees that statue she remembers her memorable first encounter with her goddess. Her smile slowly faded and tears started to fall. Yumi was holding back these tears all morning but now that no one could see her, she allowed herself to cry. She didn't know how she made it through her classes without breaking down in tears but thankfully she managed to survive.  
The familiar two-story old building caught her eye as she scanned the grounds and not far from it, she recognized the gymnasium. The image of her serving tea to her Oneesama and the memory of their dance rehearsal flashed to her head and more tears continued to stream and her chest ached so painfully that she found it hard to breathe. Her gaze then turned to the sanctuary and she immediately closed her eyes, not wanting to see any other sight that would remind her of her love.

_**'Here I am all of me, loving you completely...because you complete me.'**_

Even with her eyes closed, the memory still lingered. She could still remember the immeasurable happiness she felt upon hearing those words.

"Does she still mean what she said? Does she still feel the same?"

She asked herself miserably. The sweet words and promises, the passionate kisses and warm caress, were they all just part of a dream? If they were, then she'd rather stay asleep than face this cruel reality. Maybe the wonderful things that happened these past few days were just a result of her desperate imagination. After all, they were too good to be true. She should have known that life is not a fairy tale that has a happy ending.

Her eyes involuntarily opened and the sight that greeted her made her heart throb more painfully. It was the old greenhouse. That place is very special to her but not as special as the person inside it. She knew Sachiko was there, waiting for her. They were supposed to have lunch together inside that garden but Yumi did not have the courage to face Sachiko so the brunette looked for a place to hide. How can the person who brought her so much joy be the same person she feared to see the most?

"I'll do anything just don't leave me. Please...Sachiko."

Sobbing uncontrollably, she let out the words she might desperately say to her love.

"I shouldn't say that to her. I don't want her to take pity on me. I must stay strong and accept her decision."

She told herself. She decided that she would do the right thing no matter how hard it was. Sachiko's happiness was all that matters and Yumi will give it to her even if it breaks her heart.

~o~

As soon as the bell rang indicating the end of classes that afternoon, Sachiko quickly made her way out of her classroom. Rei, seeing her friend who was in such a hurry tried to chase her. They were walking down the halls and numerous students tried to approach them but decided not to when they saw Sachiko's irritated expression.

"Sachiko, I know you want to talk to her as soon as possible but I think you should just wait for Yumi-chan at the RoseMansion."

Rei said worriedly as her friend continued walking briskly towards the second year classroom. Rei knew that Sachiko was not good in handling her emotions especially when it involves Yumi. She remembered last February when she and Minako walked in on the meeting room and found Yumi and Sachiko having an argument. Yumi ran out of the room in tears leaving her frustrated Oneesama. Rei was afraid that Sachiko might confront Yumi in front of other students and she might accidentally say something that would make Yumi cry.

"I will not sit there and just wait for her to appear. If she really is avoiding me, she would immediately go home after school."

"We can't really say that she is avoiding you."

Rei said as she grabbed her hand to halt her.

"If she's not avoiding me, then what is she doing? Playing hide and seek? I don't think so."

Sachiko spat before pulling her hand from Rei's grip.

"First, she did not show up at the mansion this morning then at lunch, she stood me up at our meeting place. Whatever her explanation is, I want to hear it NOW."

Sachiko said as she continued marching down the hall. She looked really pissed and Rei could do nothing to stop her.  
After a few more steps, they finally reached second year Pine class. Most of the students from that section were still inside the room and Sachiko hoped that Yumi was among them.

"Oh, Gokigenyou Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida. Are you here to pick up your seours?"

Mami who happens to be one of Yumi's classmates asked. She was one of the few students who had already exited the room.

"Yes. Are they still inside?"

Rei asked while Sachiko stared intently at Mami. The intensity of her stare made Mami feel so intimidated that she found it hard to speak so the girl just nodded her head as a reply. The heiress turned her head on the door once again and watched as students exited the room one by one until she spotted who she was looking for. She could see the shock in those brown orbs that were staring at her piercing sapphire eyes. They stood there facing each other, not minding the crowd of students that gathered around them. Some of them were curious but most of them were concerned. They were worried that their admired Chinensis sisters were having a misunderstanding and have decided to break their bond.  
Yumi, realizing where they were thought it would be best if they talk privately. She was expecting Sachiko would want to talk to her but she did not anticipate this.

"G-Gokigenyou, Oneesama."

She greeted nervously as she bravely held her gaze at Sachiko who just stared at her with a stoic face. She knew her girlfriend would be mad at her but she was not prepared to face her wrath in public. Sachiko was upset and Yumi was well aware that words of apologies were not enough to calm her down. Hugs and kisses might do the trick but they can't do that in public.  
And as Yumi pondered on what she should do, Sachiko closed the space between them and to everyone's surprise, Sachiko enveloped Yumi in a warm embrace. The crowd stared at them with disbelief that was soon replaced by excitement. Tsutako hurriedly took pictures as Mami enthusiastically jotted down on her notes.

_**"Aaaw, they're so sweet!"**_

_**"Do you think they went through a misunderstanding and now we're witnessing their reconciliation?"**_

_**"Rosa Chinensis is the most affectionate Oneesama I've ever seen."**_

_**"I'm so happy for them!"**_

Though they had no clue on what was happening between the two, they were glad they were able to witness such a beautiful display of "sisterly love".

"I was so worried."

Sachiko whispered to the girl in her arms that seemed to be shocked by her girlfriend's action. Yumi like Rei was expecting Sachiko would attack her with words not with hugs. I guess what they did not realize was that Sachiko was not the girl she used to be. She has learned to be more expressive of her feelings and she has become better on dealing with her emotions. She wasn't angry with Yumi, she was afraid. She was afraid that she did something that caused Yumi to avoid her. She feared that her love would want to end their relationship. She wanted to hear Yumi's reason immediately so she could clear things up quickly to prevent the situation from getting worse but as soon as she saw the love of her life, she felt that nothing really mattered except to have her in her arms.

"Okay, that's enough. We still have a meeting to attend to."

Yoshino said to break the crowd and allow them to pass. Sachiko reluctantly pulled herself from Yumi but she tightly held Yumi's hand as they walked towards the mansion.

~o~

The student council meeting didn't go well. The Yamayurikai members were not able to achieve anything on their agenda that afternoon mainly because the Chinensis couple seemed to be very distracted. Sachiko was having a hard time tearing her eyes away from her lovely brunette so she decided not to pay attention to the meeting and allow herself to leisurely stare at her girlfriend. She couldn't help it. She felt that there was something bothering Yumi so she carefully observed Yumi's behavior and facial expressions. Yumi was silent the whole time with a serious expression on her usually unstable face. She was in deep thought and knowing that Sachiko was staring at her made her feel uneasy. It took her a great deal of effort to restrain herself from glancing at the girl sitting beside her. She feared that if their eyes meet, her resolve would shatter. She had always thought of herself as a weak person but this time she wanted to be strong.  
Their friends, noticing the tension between the two were deeply concerned but decided not to meddle with their problem as a form of respect. And when Rei decided to end the meeting, they were not surprised to see that the couple wanted stay in the room. They knew Sachiko and Yumi needed to talk so they gave them their much needed privacy.

From the corner of her eye, Yumi noticed her Oneesama's cup of tea. The cup was visibly half-full so she assumed that Sachiko did not finish her beverage because it was no longer warm. She knew that a cooled tea does not suit her Oneesama's taste. Yumi stood up and hurried for the electric pot. She quickly prepared fresh warm tea and served it to Sachiko.

"Yumi, what is going on?"

Yumi heard as she placed the cup in front of Sachiko. She knew this conversation was bound to happen and there was no way she could prevent it.

"Please talk to me, Love."

Sachiko said soothingly as she reached for Yumi's hand. The smaller girl had no choice but to directly look at her girlfriend.

"I'm sorry about lunch."

"It's alright. I forgive you."

The seated girl softly said as she wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's waist as Yumi stood frozen like a statue. With her head resting on Yumi's chest, Sachiko could clearly hear Yumi's heart beat.

"But could you at least tell me why you stood me up like that?"

The heiress calmly asked as she nuzzled on Yumi's uniform, inhaling the sweet scent that usually calms her.

"I just needed to be alone so I could properly think."

Sachiko stiffened upon hearing this statement. She did not like the flow of this conversation. She couldn't bring herself to ask what the brunette was thinking because she was afraid of what she might hear. She did not want to entertain the possibility that Yumi was breaking up with her. It just did not make sense at the moment.

"Sachiko..."

Yumi started hesitantly as she gently stroke Sachiko's silky strands.

"How do you feel about your cancelled engagement?"

Sachiko was speechless for a moment at what Yumi unexpectedly asked. Didn't the girl already know how relieved she is now that the biggest obstacle in their relationship is gone?

"There is no word to describe how happy I feel now that it's over. I'm sure you are aware of that, my Love."

Sachiko said lovingly. With a heavy sigh, Yumi freed herself from the embrace and returned to her seat.

"You don't regret it?"

Sachiko's loving smile faded when she saw the serious expression on Yumi's face.

"What is this about? Do you think not being engaged to Kashiwagi-san makes me sad? I can't believe you're still jealous of him."

An exasperated Sachiko said but quickly calmed down and affectionately cupped Yumi's cheek.

"You have no reason to feel that way."

"Even though he's not gay and is actually in love with you?"

Her sapphire eyes widened at what she heard. Yumi used the word "though" instead of "if" and it made Sachiko nervous. She had a feeling that Yumi already found out about Kashiwagi's true sexuality. But how?

"You don't have to hide it from me. I already know. He told me."

Yumi said, seeing the surprise on those blue orbs. Those eyes quickly turned to slits due to anger.

_'That imbecile! Is he trying to ruin my relationship with Yumi?'_

"When did he speak to you?"

Gritting her teeth, Sachiko managed to ask.

"He drove me to school. I was very surprised when I saw him outside our house this morning."

Lifting her cup, Yumi took a sip before she resumed speaking. Surprisingly, Yumi was acting so calm contrary to Sachiko who was loosing her cool.

"You got into his car?"

The older girl asked worriedly. It is not safe for a young woman like Yumi to get into any man's car unless they are related or unless they've known each other for a long time. And besides, what would the students think if they see Rosa Chinensis en buoton getting out of a young man's car at such an early time? They might get the wrong idea.

"He said you asked him to pick me up so I agreed. I was so worried that something might have happened to you so I was really pissed when he admitted that it was just a lie to trick me."

Unforgivable. That was the only thing that came to Sachiko's mind. She will not forgive her cousin for using her name to trick her love. She swore that she will not let him get away with it.

"What did he want from you?"

Surely, Kashiwagi had his reasons for going through all this trouble.

"That is exactly what I asked to him. I found it strange that he was acting so serious and less annoying than he usually is so I figured he was about to tell me something important. He told me about your conversation last night."

"I swear I was going to tell you about it. Please don't think that I was planning to hide it from you."

Sachiko said defensively. She didn't mind Yumi knowing but not like this. She wanted Yumi to hear it from her.

"It's alright. I understand."

Yumi said with a knowing smile.

"I was nervous at first. I thought he was going to warn me to stay away from you but obviously he was not aware of the true nature of our relationship."

"He's not? Then what did he want?"

"He said he wanted my help."

"Help?"

"He wanted me to help him win your heart. Can you believe that?"

Yumi answered with a soft chuckle. Sachiko stared at Yumi and noticed that Yumi's smile and laughter were different. They were not reaching the brunette's eyes meaning she was not laughing with her heart. Sachiko realized that her girlfriend was hurting. Yumi was trying to hide how affected she was by this revelation.

"I'm sorry if he's bothering you. I promise I'll tell him about us as soon as I get the chance."

"No, don't do that."

"Why not?"

"I must admit, I felt his sincerity. Why don't you give him a chance, try to consider his feelings."

What on earth was she saying? Sachiko couldn't help but think that her girlfriend was willingly handing her over to someone else without even putting up a fight. Is she not worth fighting for?

"Go out with him. If you spend time together your feelings for him will slowly come back. He's not a bad person and I think he's good for..."

Yumi was babbling but was silenced by Sachiko's angry voice.

"Enough! Can't you see that you're hurting both of us? How many times do I have to tell you that I never loved him? Why are you pushing me towards someone else when you know it's you whom I love?"

Sachiko was angry yet she wanted to cry. She was angry that Yumi believed that someone other than herself deserves to be with Sachiko. And she wanted to cry because she felt that Yumi did not love her enough to fight for their relationship. Yumi's thoughts had always been easy to read but at that moment, Sachiko couldn't comprehend what the girl had in mind.

"I promised I'll convince you to have dinner with him tonight. He said he'll waiting for you outside."

Sachiko was dismayed knowing that Yumi made this decision without even consulting her first. Why is Yumi so determined to set her up with her ex-fiancé?

"What am I, a toy that you'd easily throw away when you suddenly lose interest?!"

"I just don't want to be a burden to you. Don't hold back your feelings for him just because of me."

It was a hard and painful decision to bring up this suggestion but Yumi thought it was the right thing to do.

"You're such a stubborn girl."

Call her stupid if you like but nothing could change Yumi's decision and Sachiko knew it. She knew that Yumi did not have enough self-confidence and the girl had always been intimidated of Kashiwagi. She regretted telling Yumi that there was a time that she did like that man. Because of that simple information, Yumi somehow thought of herself as a substitute or a second choice.

"I think you'll be much happier with him, Oneesama."

That was the last straw for Sachiko. She's had enough of Yumi's inferiority complex.

"Oneesama? Is that all I am to you? I thought I mean more to you than that."

Sachiko tried not to raise her voice but the hint of annoyance was evident in her tone. She was really disappointed. She couldn't understand why it seemed so easy for Yumi to let her go. For a moment she wondered whether Yumi's love for her was different than the kind of love she had for the girl.

"I do love you but..."

"But you don't trust me! Maybe you don't value me at all. "

Sachiko muttered angrily.

"That's not true! I love you."

"Fine. If you want me to go out with him, then so be it."

Yumi's chest tightened at hearing this. She knew she should be happy because she was able to convince Sachiko to agree with her proposal but there was a part of her that wished that Sachiko didn't agree.  
Ignoring the pain piercing her heart, Yumi forced a smile to prove that she was fine.

"W-Well then, w-we better leave."

Clearing her throat, Yumi tried to hide her shaking voice. Turning her back from Sachiko, Yumi hurriedly brought their teacups to the sink. There, away from her Oneesama's view, Yumi washed the cups while fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

~o~

Outside the gates of Lillian, a familiar fancy car was parked. And beside it, a handsome young man was standing, patiently waiting for her princess to arrive. A charming smile appeared on his face as soon as he recognized two young ladies approaching.

"Good evening, Yumi-chan."

He warmly greeted the pig-tailed girl before turning his head to the tall young woman beside Yumi.

"Good evening, Sa-chan."

He said with his gentle voice. His hopeful eyes were gazing at Sachiko's gorgeous face, hoping the girl would smile back at him.

"Gokigenyou, Kashiwagi-san. Thank you for inviting me for dinner."

The raven-haired said nicely.

"I'm glad you accepted my invitation despite such short notice. Thank you."

Kashiwagi stated then looked pointedly at Yumi who forced herself to smile.

"I am doing this because Yumi wants me to. You know I'd do anything to please my dear **_sister_**."

Sachiko emphasized, she made sure that Yumi heard her clearly and hopefully got the message. Yumi felt miserable because Sachiko was treating her cold. Ever since they left the RoseMansion, the older girl had not talked to her.

"I am truly grateful to you, Yumi-chan."

"Then, why don't you show your gratitude by asking her to join us for dinner?"

It was an unexpected suggestion that sounded more of a command. Gazing intently at Sachiko, Kashiwagi understood what his cousin meant. He read the message on those sapphire eyes which stated," If Yumi's not going, I'm not going either".

"Yumi-chan, I'd love to invite you to joins us."

The good-looking man said sincerely. He didn't seem to be disappointed at the possibility that he would not be alone with Sachiko. What matters to him was to spend time with the woman he loves so he will grab every chance he gets just to be with Sachiko.

Yumi had been silently standing there the whole time, waiting for Kashiwagi and Sachiko to leave so she could go home immediately and cry silently in her room when Sachiko suggested that she should come. Yumi thought it wouldn't be good for her if she comes. Imagining Sachiko being with Kashiwagi was already killing her and to see those two together might be something she wouldn't be able to bear.

"Of course, she'd come."

Was Sachiko's quick retort when Yumi failed to respond. Without a word, she gestured the brunette to get into the car. Yumi wanted to politely refuse but Sachiko's icy glare made her unable to speak.

Kashiwagi took the driver seat and started the engine. Glancing up at the car's rear view mirror, he could see the beautiful passengers on the backseat. He might have noticed the awkward silence between the two but decided not to pry. Little did he know that the reason why these sisters were acting differently was because of him.

~o~

Kashiwagi planned to take Sachiko to a romantic date but changed his mind at the last minute because what was supposed to be their first date turned out to be a dinner for three, so he decided to take them to a traditional Japanese restaurant instead. It was an old establishment that boasts authentic Japanese cuisine at its finest. It's the kind of restaurant wherein you have to take your shoes off before entering. Inside, a kimono-clad lady greeted them then offered a private dining room. The room had tatami floors and at the middle of it was a low dining table. The shoji screen on the other side of the room was open, revealing a fantastic view of a magnificent Japanese garden.  
Yumi was reading the menu worriedly. She had never been in that kind of restaurant and she was not familiar with the dishes and the prices were very expensive.

"Shall I order for us?"

Kashiwagi said without looking at the menu. He seemed to be a regular costumer in that restaurant and was well aware of its specialty.

"That would be nice."

Sachiko who was seated across the table said with a smile. It was a simple gesture to show her appreciation but this simple act made a huge impact on the girl sitting beside her. Yumi never imagined that such a scene could easily crush her heart.

"This is a lovely place Suguru-san. You're really good at discovering special places."

Sachiko complimented after Kashiwagi had given his orders to the lady server.

"Well, I'd like to think that I have good taste...especially when it comes to women. Don't you agree Yumi-chan?"

He said with a charismatic smile. Even a dense person like Yumi could easily figure out the flirtatious message in that statement. Saying that he had good taste when it comes to women was definitely a compliment to Sachiko who happens to be the woman he adores. It was like he was saying "I only choose special things so I chose Sachiko because she is special". Normally, Sachiko would scowl at her cousin but this time she acted as if she never heard a thing. It's hard to tell whether she was flattered or disgusted by the compliment.

"I couldn't agree more."

Yumi managed to say as she tried her best to hide her displeasure. The sight of Kashiwagi flirting with Sachiko really annoyed her.

"So, how's college life?"

Sachiko suddenly asked. Perhaps she was trying to start a friendly conversation with the young man. After all, the purpose of this dinner was for her to know him better. Kashiwagi enthusiastically talked about his course and about his future plans when he takes over his family's more Kashiwagi talked about himself, the more Yumi thought little of herself. Kashiwagi is matured, intelligent and confident. And he could give Sachiko a life that Yumi could never afford. He had big dreams and he was determined to be successful in life. The guy has great qualities than any one would easily admire. He is the ideal man that most girls dream of. It's not hard to imagine that even a princess like Sachiko who has high standards would fall for him.  
Throughout the meal, Sachiko had been graciously conversing with Kashiwagi and Yumi had been silently observing the two. She was not being ignored but Yumi preferred to isolate herself as the conversation went on. She was trying her best to put on a smile but she couldn't wear a mask for too long. Yumi felt her heart bleeding every time she caught Sachiko giving Kashiwagi a smile of approval. Seeing her love being friendly with her rival was painful to see but at the same time it made her furious.

"Here."

Kashiwagi said as he picked up a sushi from the serving plate and placed it on Sachiko's bowl using his own chopstick. Yumi's eyes widened as she remembered a familiar scene. It was during New Year's Eve when she and Rosa Gigantea spent the night at the Ogasawara Mansion. Kashiwagi-san and her brother Yuuki were also there, acting as guards. Aunt Sayako ordered sushi for dinner and Yumi would never forget how angry she was when she saw Kahiwagi picking up the urchin, salmon roe and abalone, among others, from Sachiko's sushi box and placing them in his own. Then she was confused when Kashiwagi placed his own flounder, squid and sweet shrimp to the empty places of Sachiko's box. And Sachiko was eating the sushi Kashiwagi placed on her box without any questions. That time, Yumi couldn't comprehend why that scene angered and hurt her at the same time. Yumi was jealous but she was in a state of denial, telling herself that she had no reason and no right to feel that way. But the pain and anger she felt that time were nothing compared to what she was feeling now.

"Yumi-chan, don't you like the food?"

Kashiwagi asked worriedly when he noticed that Yumi staring blankly at her bowl of rice. Kashiwagi might have assumed that Yumi was being silent because the girl felt like she was intruding on his and Sachiko's privacy. But Kashiwagi did his best to make Yumi feel that she was not out of place, that she was not a third wheel. On the other hand, Sachiko who was usually sweet, caring and thoughtful to Yumi acted as if she hardly knew the girl which was rude because she was the one who dragged her there in the first place.

"I'm fine. Don't mind me."

Yumi answered scowling. Her anger brought by jealousy was slowly surfacing. She was certain the food was great but nothing tastes good to a person who's feeling bitter. And the sincere look of concern on Kashiwagi's face annoyed her even more.

"Yumi, don't talk to him like that. Is that how you treat your senior."

Sachiko said sternly.

"I'm sorry for her rude behavior. She's becoming unruly lately. I'm afraid I haven't been a good Oneesama to her."

She added with a heavy sigh. Yumi's heart literally stopped beating for a few seconds. She didn't know what was happening to her. She knew she should be happy because Sachiko and Kashiwagi were getting along well but all she felt was bitterness.

_'You're defending him? Why are you so nice to him? You hate that guy, right?'_

For the first time in her life, she felt that Sachiko had betrayed her.

"It's alright. You don't have to be so strict on her. Yumi-chan is a good girl and you're a wonderful Oneesama, Sachiko."

Hearing this man utter the name of her love was unbearable.

_'Are they intimate enough for him to call her in such an intimate way? And why is she allowing him to do that?'_

Yumi couldn't take much more of this torture.

"Excuse me. I need to go to the restroom."

She said then stood up abruptly. Not waiting for a response, Yumi walked out the room. Walking absentmindedly, she found the restaurant's restroom. She quickly entered one of the cubicles and tears flowed freely from her eyes as soon as she locked the door. After barely a minute she heard a familiar voice on the other side of the door.

"Yumi?"

There was no mistaken to whom that voice belonged to. Yumi was suddenly overwhelmed with happiness knowing that Sachiko quickly followed her there. She thought Sachiko didn't care about her anymore but perhaps she was wrong.

"O-Oneesama?"

Yumi asked between her sobs. She wanted to open the door and jump into the arms of the woman she loves. She wanted Sachiko to comfort her as she weeps.

"Yumi, you've been very quiet throughout dinner. Are you alright?"

Sachiko asked and Yumi was enraged.

"Am I alright? How can I be alright?! Do you know how painful it is for me to see the two of you together?"

Yumi said, yelling at Sachiko who was leaning outside the door. Thankfully, they were the only ones there so they were able to have their privacy. The heiress couldn't see Yumi's tear-stained face but the brunette's cracking voice indicated that she was crying.

"But Yumi, you're the one who wanted this. You told me to spend time with him, to give him a chance."

"But I never asked you to drag me along. Why do you I have to be here? Why do I have to witness the two of you flirting with each other?"

Releasing her pent-up emotions, Yumi cried hysterically. She never imagined herself raising her voice at her Oneesama but because there was a barrier that separated them, she was able to speak her mind. If she was facing Sachiko, she knew the words would have been stuck on her throat.

"If I had dinner with him by myself it would be considered a date. That would mean I'm cheating on you. And for the record, I am not flirting with him. I was simply being nice."

"Nice? Just admit that you like him...again!"

Yumi exclaimed, clenching her fist. She was breathing heavily due to anger and her heart was rapidly beating.

"Why does it seem that you're angry? I'm just doing what you asked me to."

Sachiko said innocently. Yumi was silent as she tried to figure out what was happening.

"You're hurting me."

Yumi said sadly when she finally calmed down and her tears subsided.

"No Yumi, you're the one who's hurting yourself."

Sachiko replied with a softer tone as she pressed her cheek and palms on the wooden door.

"You're hurting me too by pushing me away so I guess that makes us even. But more importantly, I am doing this to make you realize how much I mean to you. I am giving you an idea of the pain you are bound to experience if I do decide to accept his love. Tell me, can you handle seeing him being intimate with me? How would you feel if I kiss him the way I kiss you?"

Yumi almost lost sanity just by thinking about it. She realized that letting Sachiko go was easier said than done. .

"I know you're suffering and you will continue to suffer until you make yourself believe that I am yours and you are mine. If I cannot convince you to believe me then I'll make you convince yourself even if I have to hurt you by making you jealous all the time to the point that you can no longer take it so you'll beg for me to stop. By then you'll realize that you need me and you will never try to hand me over to someone else again."

With that, Sachiko moved away from the door.

"I hope I made myself clear, Love."

She added as she stared at the door as if she could see through it. When Yumi felt the older girl was about to leave, she hastily unlocked the door and stepped out the cubicle. She was disappointed to see that Sachiko was already gone but she was touched at what she found. There by the sink was a white handkerchief with the letter S embroidered at one corner.

_'Thoughtful as ever.'_

Yumi walked towards the sink then twisted one of the knobs and washed her face with both hands. When she lifted her head, she was greeted by her reflection on the mirror. Staring at herself, she thought about everything Sachiko had said. Slowly, she clearly understood what she really wanted.

"Baka!"

She mumbled to the pig-tailed girl who was staring back at her with as sarcastic smile. She realized that she was being stupid for trying to throw away her happiness when all she had to do was to accept it. Using Sachiko's handkerchief, Yumi wiped her face and made herself presentable before leaving the restroom.

~o~

"Is everything fine, Yumi-chan? How are you feeling?"

Kashiwagi asked as soon as Yumi returned to the room.

"I'm fine now. Actually, I think I'm feeling better."

Yumi answered truthfully. Kashiwagi was a bit surprised by Yumi's sudden change of mood. Yumi glanced at the beauty beside her and realized how foolish she was. How could she even think of letting go of someone like Sachiko. The beautiful creature caught her gaze and her heart melted when Sachiko sweetly smiled at her.

_'That smile is meant only for me.'_

Yumi thought to herself selfishly.

"I'm glad to see you're alright."

The deep voice interrupted the girls from their dreamy state. Turning her head to the owner of the voice, Yumi remembered the awkward situation she had put herself in.

_'I'm sorry Kashiwagi-san but Sachiko is mine.'_

She told herself with finality as she flashed him a competitive look.

"Kashiwagi-san, I'm sorry that things didn't turn out the way you planned."

Yumi said seriously.

"You don't have to apologize Yumi-chan. I don't mind you joining us. In fact I'd love to invite you again next time."

The gentleman answered with good-nature. He assumed that Yumi was feeling guilty, thinking that she ruined his date with Sachiko.

"There won't be a next time."

Yumi firmly said.

"Pardon?"

"I won't allow Sachiko to go out with you in the future with or without my presence."

Yumi boldly said. Sachiko was pleasantly surprised hearing this from her girlfriend. It flattered her to see Yumi being possessive over her.

"I understand that you're being protective of Sachiko because she is your Oneesama but don't you think you're going too far? Being her little sister doesn't give you the right to interfere with her personal life."

He calmly explained, ignoring his surprise at hearing Yumi call Sachiko solely by her name.

"But I am not just her little sister."

Yumi said confidently then turned to face Sachiko. No words were needed for Sachiko to understand the message on those mocha eyes that were humbly gazing at her, asking for approval. Sachiko simply nodded as a sign that she was giving her support.

Turning back her head on the guy in front of them, Yumi urged Sachiko to speak.

"Tell him."

Of course, she was speaking to Sachiko.

" Yumi is my girlfriend."

Sachiko said without any hesitation. Kashiwagi remained silent and it was hard to tell how surprised he was.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes, we're in love."

She said then turned her gaze to Yumi.

"I'm sorry but I can never love you the way you want me to."

"Are you saying that you're a..."

"A lesbian? Yes, I believe I am."

Kashiwagi fell silent for a moment as if he was in deep thought.

"I understand."

He said with a bitter smile. Yumi and Sachiko found it odd that this guy easily accepted the situation.

"I knew you still haven't forgiven me but I never thought you hated me so much that you'd even go this far."

He suddenly said with a sad expression. Both girls were confused at this reaction.

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you were terribly offended when I told you that I was a homosexual. And you think this is your chance to have your revenge."

"I don't know what you're saying."

"Sachiko, you want to hurt me the way I hurt you. I can't blame you for that and I am willing to go through any kind of punishment until you forgive me but you don't have to get her involve with this."

Sachiko's hatred for this guy immediately came back when she finally understood Kashiwagi's interpretation of the situation. Yumi however, was still in the process of analyzing things.

"Don't flatter yourself! This has nothing to do with you. Believe it or not, we are in a romantic relationship."

She said, fuming. Yumi finally caught up and upon realizing that Kashiwagi had no plans of giving up, she decided to take matters with her own hands.

"Kashiwagi-san, I know it's hard to believe that someone like Sachiko would fall for someone like me. Actually, it took me awhile to convince myself that it really is true. But now, I fully believe that what we have is more than sisterly love."

"Of course."

Sachiko said lovingly as she smiled at Yumi, making the girl more confident.

"So you see, calling her "Sachiko" is no big deal. I can also embrace her any time I please."

And as she spoke, her upper body slowly moved closer to Sachiko.

"And kiss."

Kashiwagi wanted to yell at Yumi to stop but he couldn't speak and neither could he move. He was so shocked he couldn't even blink as he witnessed Yumi's face inching closer and closer towards Sachiko's. He watched closely as their lips were about to meet and Kashiwagi was somehow expecting that Sachiko would slap Yumi's cheek and tell her to "Stop being caught up in the moment!".  
But Sachiko sat motionless, staring at Yumi with a pleased expression.

_'Slap her the way you slapped me. Reject her the way you rejected me.'-_was Kashiwagi's silent plea.

But his prayer was not answered as Yumi's lips finally reached Sachiko's. Kashiwagi hoped that Sachiko would quickly push Yumi away but to his dismay, Sachiko cupped Yumi's cheeks to hold her in place as she passionately deepened the kiss. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The woman he loves was kissing a woman. And she was clearly enjoying herself with her eyes closed as she eagerly moved her lips on Yumi;s mouth. They have gone lost in their desire and it seemed they have forgotten that there was another individual inside the room.

"Sachiko!"

Kashiwagi's voice brought the girls back to their senses. Turning her attention to the intruder, Sachiko reluctantly let go of Yumi.

"Like I said, Yumi is my girlfriend. We're in love with each other."

She said after catching her breath.

"Alright, maybe you do love her but do you love her enough to choose her over your family? I wonder how Grandfather will react if he finds out about this."

"He already knows."

Sachiko bluntly said and Yumi gasped in surprise.

"You're bluffing."

Kashiwagi said with a smirk.

"Why do you think Grandfather suddenly cancelled our engagement?"

He was speechless. He knew there was a reason but this was beyond his imagination.

"He is fine with it?"

"Surprisingly, yes. He loves me more than his company so like what he said last night, I can be with whoever I choose to be with."

Sachiko said confidently.

"Kashiwagi-san, I know someday you'll find the right one for you. I hope you'll find her soon."

She added with sympathy then stood up and offered her hand to Yumi who reflexively took it. The couple walked out of the room leaving the young man brokenhearted.

~o~

Kashiwagi, being a gentleman insisted on driving them home but Sachiko politely refused. She didn't want Kashiwagi to get hurt even more.

Using the restaurant's phone, she called for the family driver to pick them up.

Outside the restaurant, there was a stone pathway leading to the Japanese garden. The garden was breath-taking. The colorful lights enhanced the beauty of the towering trees and blooming flowers, making them glow in the darkness of the night. There was a koi pond that has a bridge leading to a small but lovely gazebo. It was here that Yumi and Sachiko decided to kill time as they wait for the driver to arrive.

"This place is nice."

Sachiko said, admiring the view.

"I think it's romantic."

Yumi added as she lightly squeezed Sachiko's hand. Sachiko glanced down at her and warmly smiled.

"I'm sorry for asking you to go out with him. I was acting stupid."

"Yes, you were. But I'm sure you've learned your lesson."

"Yes, I did. I realized that if I loose you, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I don't want to suffer like that so from now on, I promise to do everything I can to help this relationship work. Now I know that I love you so much, I don't think I can ever let you go even if you ask me to. "

"Yumi, all I ask of you is to love me without reservation."

Sachiko said as they shared a warm embrace. Yumi's eyes widened when she remembered what she had heard earlier. She slightly pulled away and looked at Sachiko's face.

"Is it true that you're grandfather knows about us?"

She asked nervously.

"Of course. Even my parents are aware of it."

Sachiko answered casually as if it was no big deal.

"You told them?!"

"Not really...I mean, their my family so I guess they easily saw it through.

Sachiko said defensively. She forgot that Yumi didn't know about the method she used to convinced her family to allow her to be with Yumi. She had no plans of telling Yumi about the depression letter she wrote which "accidentally" got into the hands of her mother.

"And as you can see they have no problem with it. They saw how much I love you."

It sounded too good to be true but Sachiko would never lie to her. This revelation made her very happy. Now she can love Sachiko with all her heart without fearing that she would be taken away someday.

"I'm so happy."

Tears of joy were streaming on her cheeks as she said this. Sachiko, seeing her love crying due to happiness couldn't help herself from crying too. They were glad that they were able to fix everything.

"Me too."

She said lovingly as they smiled at each other. After smiling like fools, their lips decided to express their joy in a more intimate way, ending the night with promises sealed with passionate kisses.

_to be continued..._

* * *

_A/N: _The New Year's Eve scene was copied from the novel. It's such a shame that it wasn't included in the anime.  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and if you have any suggestion or any criticism please let me know.


End file.
